


What Happens in Esthar...

by Ronin



Category: Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: Adult Themes, Alternate Universe, Comedy, F/M, Romance, WiBi NaNo challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-04
Updated: 2016-05-05
Packaged: 2017-11-15 16:06:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 210,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/529061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ronin/pseuds/Ronin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rinoa gets a gift trip to an exclusive resort spa in Esthar that caters only to women...and offers more than the usual fare of wellness, skincare and beauty...it also offers the services of its male concierges for those women who are so inclined. in short, its a brothel for women...and Squall is on the menu....</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_March 3rd, 2:23 pm._

"Rinny! Happy birthday sweetie!" Selphie crowed happily as she bounced enthusiastically into Rinoa's apartment. Quistis followed more sedately behind and gave Rinoa a hug in greeting.

"Uh, thanks guys. You didn't have to come over, I really didn't have anything specific planned." Rinoa said.

"I know, and Selphie insisted we come by anyway. Doesn't do to be alone on your birthday, you've done far too much of that lately and it's time to stop." Quistis said.

"Yeah! So we're kidnapping you for the evening and taking you out! We are gonna par-tay!" Selphie announced.

"Oh, Selphie…I don't know…" Rinoa said hesitantly.

"Rinoa, I know losing Allyn was hard, but it's been nearly a year. You can't stay holed up here forever." Quistis said gently, adding, "You need to rejoin the living. You know he wouldn't want you to mourn him indefinitely."

"Yeah, so come on Rinoa, put on your prettiest dress and let's go out and have some fun!" Selphie urged her.

Rinoa sighed. She didn't want to go out, not really, but her friends were right. She couldn't hide in her apartment forever, watching the same four walls and feeling how empty the place was without her fiancée's presence adding life to it.

At least Caraway left her alone about it, though she suspected that the general mourned the young lieutenant nearly as deeply as she did. Certainly Caraway had gotten along well with Allyn, which was a surprise to all parties concerned; Rinoa tended to pick young men guaranteed to annoy her father. She supposed it didn't hurt that Allyn had come from a good family, had graduated with top honors from Galbadia's most prestigious military school and had garnered an officer's commission the moment he'd enlisted in the Galbadian army.

Of course, those were things that _General Caraway_ had liked about Allyn. Rinoa had loved his sense of humor, how warm and loving he was with her, and his gentlemanly manner. For the first time, it hadn't mattered to Rinoa that the man she was attracted to was wearing a G-army uniform and served under her father. She'd overlooked that, just this once, and had found the missing piece of her heart.

It was just bitter irony that her father had sent him to a posting in a hot zone that had ended up taking his life just weeks before they were to be married.

Deciding then and there that she'd brooded long enough about it, she forced a smile and said, "Okay. Just give me a few minutes to get ready."

"Great! We're gonna have some fun, aren't we Quisty?" Selphie bounced happily.

"You bet we are," Quistis smiled at Rinoa.

They treated her to a nice, low-key dinner at one of Deling City's best restaurants, and Rinoa sincerely appreciated her friends' efforts to commemorate her birthday. Selphie in particular, who tended toward wild parties, had made an effort to tone town to Rinoa's speed just this once so as not to put her off entirely. They both knew that Rinoa wasn't completely ready to be out, but they also knew that it was time for at least a gentle push in that direction.

It was over dessert (and more than a few glasses of wine for each of them) that Selphie chirped, "I'm glad you were able to come out with us tonight Rinny. Quisty and I both chipped in for your birthday present. I hope you like it."

"What is it?" Rinoa asked curiously, wondering why both Quistis and Selphie would have had to go in together for the gift. That worried her, because that hinted at something horribly expensive. And horribly expensive gifts could either be exquisite in the extreme or just plain…horrible. While neither of her two friends was exactly _rich_ , they weren't poor either. So that left Rinoa a little apprehensive about what it was that they'd gotten her.

"It's a weekend getaway at an exclusive resort spa in Northern Esthar. I hear it's really high class." Selphie answered.

"It certainly was expensive enough, that's for sure," Quistis interjected dryly.

"A spa weekend? Guys, really?" Rinoa asked, wondering what a spa weekend entailed, exactly.

"Yeah, we figured a change of scenery and a little pampering wouldn't hurt you and might even help you." Selphie answered.

"It's in a really beautiful location with a private beach, their staff is top-notch and they do everything there. It's a full-service spa with any health or beauty related thing you could possibly want; they even have world-class chefs on site. Concierge service to tailor your visit…all of it just to make sure you feel like a million gil when you're done." Quistis added.

Rinoa considered that. The location Quistis described was one of the most beautiful spots in the world, and she had always wanted to see Esthar. Allyn had wanted to go too and they'd started to make plans to go there on their honeymoon when he'd been killed.

And a spa weekend…. two whole days of being pampered in any way possible that she could think of…Two whole days away from Deling City, her father, and everything that reminded her of Allyn. Maybe that was exactly what she needed.

"So, when did you guys book this for me?" Rinoa asked.

"Well, we wanted to get it as close to your birthday as possible but we left your options open as to when you actually go, so we got you a gift certificate." Selphie explained.

"So, I could go anytime then, right?" Rinoa asked.

"Yes. And airfare's included." Quistis answered.

"Wow. Guys, this is…wow. Thanks, thanks so much!" She smiled, reaching out and taking each of their hands.

"No problem. We really racked our brains to find something to get for your birthday and this seemed to be what the doctor ordered. And don't worry about Angelo, I'll puppy-sit her for you." Selphie offered.

"Thanks Selphie." Rinoa smiled at her.

"So, when did you want to go?" Quistis asked her curiously.

"Might as well go next weekend," Rinoa said, then asked Selphie anxiously, "Unless you'd rather take Angelo another time?"

Selphie shook her head vigorously, causing her red-brown hair to bounce around her face, "No, next weekend is fine! Go! Go and tell us what an awesome time you had. Maybe Quistis and I will start saving up for a trip for ourselves."

"I'll drive you to the airport," Quistis offered.

"And I'll come along to give you hugs good bye." Selphie declared.

"Okay then. I guess I'm going to Esthar next Saturday." Rinoa said.

"Actually, you might want to schedule your flight for Friday. It's a three night, two day package." Quistis advised.

"Okay then, I'll do that first thing in the morning." Rinoa confirmed.

* * *

A little over a week later, they all stood in the Deling International Airport awaiting Rinoa's flight to Esthar. According to the details of the package, the spa would have a car sent to pick her up and bring her to her accommodations there. In looking over everything that was included, Rinoa was amazed at the selflessness of her friends in getting it for her.

A car would be sent for her? There would be a concierge to help her enjoy her experience there? Room for three nights and two days with all meals included? With a full entertainment package as well as the regular spa services? That last bit puzzled Rinoa a little. What did an 'entertainment package' entail anyway? Whatever it was, Quistis and Selphie had to have paid an impressive amount of gil for it. Services like that didn't come cheap.

All too soon, Rinoa's flight was announced and she hugged her friends good bye and left to board.

As she walked out of sight, Quistis glanced over at Selphie to see her absorbed in studying a sheaf of papers.

"What are you looking at?" She asked her diminutive companion.

"Oh, I printed this off the spa's website." Selphie answered.

"Oh? You know, I don't think you ever actually told me the name of this place. I just gave you the money to make the arrangements." Quistis commented.

"Golden Chocobo Ranch." Selphie answered, adding, "I'm seriously considering saving money up to go there too. Take a look at their staff profiles will you? Such a collection of hunks I've never seen in my life!"

"Really?" Quistis asked, intrigued. "Show me."

She leaned close to Selphie and scanned the pages that she held. She was right. Every employee with the exception of a very few, were male. And all were drop-dead gorgeous, particularly the concierges.

"Whew!" Selphie breathed out as she studied one picture. "Take a look at this one will you? I wouldn't mind renting _him_ for a night!"

"Let me see!" Quistis demanded, then her breath whooshed out just like Selphie's had as she studied the image.

Arresting ice blue eyes set off by thick, dark lashes stared back at her from a finely chiseled face framed by tousled, longish red-brown hair that flopped into those cool eyes. He was almost too perfect to be true, and the only thing that gave him any sort of reality was the scar slashed diagonally across that perfect face. It gave him a rakish, almost dangerous look. Beneath the photo were his initials, S. L., and a brief description of his specialty: _Martial arts, self-defense and personal security. Availability: by appointment only._

"Wow. A private self-defense instructor even? How cool is that? And he's a serious hottie too!" Quistis sighed at that. Rinoa was going to have some amazing eye-candy to keep her occupied for the next couple of days, especially if she decided to opt for the self-defense instruction.

"Well, Rin did mention once that she wanted to study self-defense, so I booked an appointment with him. He must be in really high demand because it cost a mint to reserve his time for the entire weekend." Selphie commented.

"So _that's_ why it cost us so much! You know, if you think about it, you didn't just rent that guy for a night for Rinoa, but the whole weekend." Quistis said.

Selphie giggled, "You know, I kind of did, didn't I? I hope she appreciates it. I certainly would if it were me!"

"Yeah, me too." Quistis replied, laughing as well.

Then something on the printed pages caught Quistis' eye and she frowned, reading the information about the spa more closely.

"Ummm…Selphie? What kind of a spa resort is this, exactly?" She asked, biting her lip.

"I dunno, a really expensive, remote one stocked with really hot guys? Why do you ask?" Selphie asked her in turn.

"Well…listen to this and tell me what _you_ think it means." Quistis said, and read the printed information aloud. "The Golden Chocobo Ranch is located on a pristine stretch of Esthar's most beautiful white-sand beach on the coveted north coast. Our world-class accommodations and attentive staff are sure to make your stay as pleasurable as possible. Our remote location and professional security personnel guarantee privacy and discretion, allowing you to take advantage of all that we have to offer. Whatever fantasy you may entertain, our concierges will be more than willing to act as your escort to ensure that you are satisfied with your visit. If you are _not_ completely satisfied, please tell us and you will be fully refunded."

Selphie frowned, "I dunno… sounds pretty straightforward to me, although I'm not sure about the fantasy thing…"

Quistis, who'd continued reading silently, suddenly gasped, "Selphie? Look!" She pointed out some text toward the bottom of the page that had been overlooked previously. Selphie read it in silence and her jaw dropped, meeting Quistis' eyes in shock.

"Wait. You mean…this place is…" she began, unable to finish her sentence.

Swallowing, Quistis nodded, "I'm afraid so. Selphie, we just sent Rinoa to a…." words failed her. It was too crazy to be true. And if it _was_ , it was the cruelest thing that they could have done to their friend.

She took a deep breath, and, staring into Selphie's eyes, said slowly, "I think we just sent Rinoa to a brothel that caters to women."

It was a long flight to Esthar City. Six hours, in fact. Adding in the time difference between Esthar and Galbadia, and Rinoa was not at all surprised to feel exhausted and off kilter. Who wouldn't when one left in the morning and landed just a few hours later at full dark?

As she waited in baggage claim, the only thing Rinoa really wanted at that moment was her baggage of course, and after that, food and sleep. She hoped that it wasn't too late for dinner or that she could order room service. She supposed that she could, they had a chef on staff there. Hell, at this point she'd be happy with a cereal bar.

Fortunately, given the hour of her arrival there, traffic was fairly light and the driver that had been sent for her was easily found, exactly where she'd been told he'd be.

"Miss Heartilly, I presume?" The young man asked her with a smile.

"Ye-" she began and froze once she got a good look at the man had been sent for her. He was tall and broad-shouldered, wearing a well-tailored uniform, with close-cropped black hair and warm brown eyes. All of it in a ruggedly handsome tanned face that sported beautiful white teeth and dimples when he smiled.

" I'm Danton, your driver this evening. If you'll follow me, I'll take you to the Golden Chocobo Ranch and you can get checked in." with that, he smoothly took charge of her luggage and led her to where the car, which turned out to be a sleek, black _limousine_ , waited for them.

After quickly stowing her luggage in the boot of the car, he courteously opened the back door and ushered her in, then came to the front and took his place behind the wheel.

As he fired up the engine and pulled smoothly away from the airport, he asked her, "How was your flight?"

Rinoa sighed tiredly and answered, "Long. I've never been to Esthar. I had no idea it would take _this_ long to get here."

"Well, once we arrive, just check in at the reception desk and they'll help you from there. You can either opt to meet your concierge tonight or wait until tomorrow if you're too tired." He said.

"I think I'll wait. The only thing I want right now is several hours of uninterrupted sleep." Rinoa said.

"I understand." The driver laughed softly. Then he added, "It's a long drive to the ranch from the airport. If you'd look into that compartment directly in front of you, you should find a small pillow and a blanket. Let me know and I'll put on some music, or I can simply raise the privacy screen and let you sleep."

"Oh. Okay. Thank you…Danton?" she asked, and he nodded to confirm that she had the name right. "I think I'll just sleep for a bit, if the drive is as long as you say."

"Very well, and you are welcome ma'am. I'll wake you when we get there." the driver told her warmly, and raised the screen between them.

The back seat of the limousine was easily large enough for her to stretch out fully, and she took the pillow and blanket and made herself comfortable. Obviously, this place was high class if even the drivers were this courteous. She felt confident that the rest of the staff would be equally nice. Then her jet lag caught up with her and she fell asleep quickly as the low rumbling vibration of the car's engine lulled her.

A gentle hand touching her shoulder woke her some time later and she blinked up in confusion at the driver's smile.

"Miss Heartilly? We've arrived." He informed her.

"Thanks," she yawned. Then she stretched for a moment to wake up a bit before she attempted to exit the car and follow the driver into the resort's lobby. He waited patiently for her to gather herself, and then presented his hand to help her to her feet when she was ready.

When she appeared to be fully awake and steady on her feet, the driver let go and told her, "follow me."

Glancing back to the car, Rinoa asked, "What about…"

"Your bags are already in the lobby." He informed her. Glancing down at her with a slight smile, he asked, "feel better?"

"Much. I needed the rest. Now I'm starving." Rinoa admitted. Then she yawned again and rubbed at her eyes.

The driver smiled at that. She was certainly a cute little thing, and much younger than their usual clients. He wondered how she'd come to be there, and who had been fortunate enough to book her.

"Well, there's always room service," He informed her.

"Yeah, that's true." Rinoa said as they reached the reception desk.

"Well, here we are. I hope you enjoy your stay Miss Heartilly." He said, starting to turn away.

He'd only gotten a couple of strides before Rinoa suddenly remembered to tip him and dug through her purse, cheeks burning.

"Wait!" she hurried after him and took his hand, placing some notes into it. "I'm so sorry I forgot. And you've been so kind. Thank you."

His handsome face softened and, placing his hand over his heart, he bowed slightly and said, "Thank _you_ , Miss Heartilly. You have a good evening."

Rinoa turned and went back to the reception desk, saying, "sorry about that. I guess I'm still waking up."

"That's quite all right," The receptionist said. "Are you checking in?"

"Yes ma'am." Rinoa answered.

"Name?" The woman asked.

"Rinoa Heartilly. I have a reservation confirmation number here somewhere..." Rinoa said, biting her lip and digging through her purse again. "Ah! Here it is."

She gave the information to the receptionist, who keyed it into her computer and then turned away briefly to get a keycard.

"Here you are, " She said, handing it to Rinoa. "Room 417. Marc will show you."

Rinoa glanced at the man waiting patiently with the luggage cart containing her belongings. It seemed a bit much for just her two little bags, which she could have easily carried herself. But, she was still tired, and dammit, this was her weekend to be pampered. So she decided to leave them as they were and allow the man to do his job.

"Follow me," He requested, leading her to an elevator.

As they got in, Rinoa leaned against the back and sighed, wondering briefly why the receptionist hadn't asked her about meeting the concierge. And what exactly did a concierge here _do_ , anyway? The way she remembered it, they were just like butlers or something like that. Odd that she would have one specifically assigned to her.

The elevator pinged and the doors whooshed open. The bellman exited, tugging the luggage cart behind him, and Rinoa followed after, idly studying the décor as she did.

The entire place exuded warmth and class, and looked more like high-end apartments or condominiums than a resort hotel. Tiny touches like ultra-plush, immaculate carpeting, marble floors in the lobby, lush tropical plants and flowers in every alcove, and designer furnishings helped further that impression.

"Here we are, Miss Heartilly. He informed her, indicating the door.

"Good." Rinoa sighed in relief, swiped her keycard through the reader and then pulled out a few gil notes and tipped the bellman.

"Thanks, I've got it from here." She said, grabbing her bags and opening the door.

"Very well. You have a good night ma'am." The man said politely and left.

Rinoa stepped awkwardly through the doorway with her bags, suddenly wishing that she' d had the bellman carry them for her instead, and froze when she heard a voice say coldly:

"Sorry, I'm off the clock tonight. You'll have to find another room."

Heart in her mouth, Rinoa whirled; dropping her bags in the process, then froze as she met a pair of ice-blue eyes glaring at her from the couch in the sitting room.

"Wh…what?" she asked, staring uncomprehendingly at the stranger that was sitting in _her_ room. The bare-chested, muscular, GORGEOUS stranger that was continuing to glare at her.

Her mouth went dry as he uncoiled gracefully from the couch, closed the laptop computer that sat on the coffee table in front of him, and stalked toward her.

"I _said_ ," he emphasized, "That I am off the clock tonight. As in _not working._ Find another room."

Rinoa couldn't seem to find the power to speak as he approached her. Instead she simply stared, eyes wide, taking in the thick, unruly mane of chestnut hair, the beautifully modeled face that was oddly marred by a diagonal scar slashed between the eyes and over the nose, the well-defined muscles of his chest and abdomen, and the loose-fitting black cotton pajama pants that left virtually nothing to the imagination, including the fact that the man was apparently commando for the night.

Swallowing, she tried, "Bu…but this.. I was assigned…." He came to a stop in front of her and Rinoa stopped again, noting vaguely that he was taller than her, but not by much. Certainly, he couldn't have been over six feet. Nowhere close to Allyn's six-three _._

An exasperated growl made her jump as he deftly snatched her keycard from her hand and glared at it. Then he stalked from the room without another word.

"He-hey? Um.. my card?" Rinoa asked, wondering what the hell was going on.

Why was this guy in her room? Why was he so upset at _her_ being there and what did the fact that he was "off the clock, as in NOT WORKING" have to do with it? Was he her concierge? Had they not told him that she was coming? And why hadn't they asked her about meeting him tonight when she'd checked in, anyway?

Those questions spurred her to action and she closed the door and followed after him. But he'd seemingly disappeared. Rinoa wandered through the hotel room… suite really… looking for him, and growing more and more confused as she did. The place was immaculately clean and tastefully decorated, but there were personal care items and a toothbrush and toothpaste in the bathroom, along with copper-colored towels that were plush and soft and obviously not standard hotel linens, likewise with the matching shower curtain and other bathroom accoutrements. There were clothes already hanging in the bedroom closet... _his_ clothes…and the bed looked like it had been slept in recently.

It didn't look like a hotel room; it looked like he actually _lived_ there. Like it was his _home_. She began to wonder if there _had_ been some kind of mistake in assigning her this room.

She finally found him in the kitchen, leaning against the counter and talking on the phone in a low, angry voice. Seemingly unaware of her presence as she paused in the doorway.

"I _told_ you I was taking this weekend off!" He was growling. The unheard reply drew his brows together into an impressive scowl, which coupled with the scar, made him appear downright dangerous.

Rinoa gulped, taking in the rest of what the harsh, bright light of the kitchen revealed: He was young…her age or possibly slightly older, certainly no older than twenty-five. A tattoo rested upon his left shoulder of a symbol that she vaguely recognized but couldn't quite place at the moment, numerous scars decorated his lean body, a metal stud earring was in his left ear, and a heavy, silvery chain with a unique pendant that combined the head of a roaring lion with what looked like a dagger hung from his neck.

"There isn't any one else available?" he was asking, cursing under his breath at the response.

"What's the _problem_?" he suddenly burst out angrily. "I get _no_ notice, _nothing_. I'm _supposed_ to be off but suddenly I'm not and to top it off, she's not even my type! You know I only book blonds!" Here he paused, listening, then sighed.

"All right, fine. But you tell Marti we're going to have a discussion about this on Monday." He stated, grudgingly capitulating, then hanging up the phone.

Then he folded his arms and looked right at Rinoa as though he'd been aware of her presence the entire time, saying, "I know you're there. Come on in."

Slowly, she walked into the kitchen, hands clasped nervously behind her back. The scowl and folded arms had changed his appearance from attractive to intimidating, and she was more than a little apprehensive.

"I'm sorry about this, I don't know what happened. I didn't mean to invade your home…" she said, biting her lip.

"Scheduling fuckup." He said shortly, causing her to blink in surprise. "And it can't be fixed. So you're stuck with me for the weekend."

"I don't understand. Stuck with you? Are you my concierge then?" she asked, puzzled.

The scowl cleared from his face and he assessed her for a long moment before answering, "Yes, among other things. If you want to, we can get right to that, but it's rather late and not to be insulting, but you look a little tired."

"I _am_ a little tired, I've flown all the way from Deling City. I haven't even had a chance to eat dinner yet…" Rinoa's voice trailed off as the rest of it sank home. "Wait. So…I'm staying… _here_? With you?"

When he nodded in confirmation Rinoa's mouth went dry again and she asked in a small voice, "Do…you have another bedroom?" She hadn't seen one, but she asked anyway.

When he shook his head Rinoa licked her lips and asked, "A hide away bed in the couch?" Another negative shake. "A...roll away? An airbed?" Headshake. "A sleeping bag?" Ditto.

"I have a bed and a couch, and we can use either one but I prefer the bed, personally. More comfortable. But really, now's not the time for that anyway." The man replied, shaking his head. "I mean, I really wasn't ready for a client to come in tonight, so obviously we got off on the wrong foot, initially. Plus, you've already mentioned that you missed dinner. So let's take care of that first, shall we?" Turning away for a moment, he picked up the phone and started dialing.

Numbly, Rinoa nodded. Of course. Room service. Her mind swam as she replayed everything that he'd told her thus far, trying to make sense of it. She was staying with this incredibly attractive young man, in his home, and he casually spoke of them possibly either sharing the couch or the bed like it was inevitable. She was having a bit of difficulty wrapping her head around what that implied.

"What did you want for dinner, anyway?" he asked her as he listened to the phone ring.

She hadn't thought to pick up a menu, so she hadn't a clue, "I don't know, really. Maybe a salad? Soup? What about you?"

"I've already eaten. What's your name anyway? Normally they tell me before the client ever gets here but..." Here he shrugged.

"Rinoa. Rinoa Heartilly." She answered. "And um… Yours?"

"Squall Leonhart," He responded back. Then the phone was answered on the other end and his attention was diverted momentarily as he ordered her dinner.

He glanced at her briefly, listening to the phone, and asked her, "Do you want anything to drink with your dinner? They've got a nice wine list here."

Rinoa shook her head and answered, "No. Just tea. Or water. I'm not much for drinking."

He frowned slightly at that, and then nodded, telling the person on the other end of the line, "just tea." A pause, then, "Thank you." Then he hung up the phone.

Gazing at her again in that disturbingly intense manner that he had, Squall asked her, "Are you a vegetarian? I suppose I should have asked. I _did_ order a vegetable barley soup and garden salad just in case, with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. They should be up with it in a few minutes."

Rinoa cleared her throat and said, "No, I'm not, but that's fine. It's a little late for anything really heavy anyway."

Squall nodded in agreement. "There is that." Then he gestured with his head toward the main room where she'd dropped her bags.

"Come on. Let's get you settled." He pushed away from the counter and padded out of the kitchen. Rinoa followed him, uncomfortably aware of his taut backside and lean muscled back…again liberally crisscrossed with scars. They weren't terrible, and really only visible at all in the right light. He was undeniably attractive in spite of them, but it left Rinoa wondering how he'd gotten them.

Then he picked up her bags and carried them into his bedroom.

"W-wait! We…we haven't really talked about our sleeping arrangements!" Rinoa protested as he tossed the bags onto his bed.

He paused, folding his arms and frowning at her. "I have a spare dresser here, so you won't have to dig through your bags if you want something to wear. The bed's more than big enough for the both of us and I promise I won't touch you until you ask me to."

Rinoa's mouth went dry again and her mind began to swim as she slowly began think through everything he'd said to her that evening up to that point. He'd said he was her concierge… _among other things. What_ other things? He spoke in a matter of fact tone about them getting to those _other things_ , and sharing a bed as though it was part of his job. He'd said that he wouldn't touch her until she _asked_ him too, and finally there was the comment that she'd overheard indicating that he only booked blonds. That last part left her even more confused. Why was she even there, if that was the case? And why did it even matter?

What the hell kind of resort/spa _was_ this place, anyway?

"Miss Heartilly? Rinoa? Are you okay?" Squall's voice drifted through the fog that had begun to seep at the edges of her vision.

"What…does a concierge do…here?" Rinoa asked him faintly.

Squall frowned, beginning to feel a little concerned for his client, as she'd gone deathly pale, and answered, "Well, whatever the client wants, really. We help them to determine what it is that they want to gain from their visit here, then help them obtain it. We'll help organize their itinerary to take full advantage of all the spa's amenities, whatever they want to do… skincare, health and wellness, anything, really. Our main goal is to make sure our clients have a pleasurable experience, whatever their fantasy might be, from mild to wild. I _do_ have some limits though, just so you know. I prefer just one on one, and women only. No threesomes, no couples, and no men. Of course, you came here alone, so I guess that won't be a problem. And ordinarily I just do blonds, sometimes the odd redhead but…. Miss? Rinoa?"

As Squall outlined what it was that he was actually hired to do, it all fell into place for Rinoa and crashed in on her, smothering her in wads of cotton and sending her drifting away to oblivion


	2. Chapter 2

He was going to kill Marti. Seriously. This was _supposed_ to be his weekend off, and he'd been planning on doing…absolutely _nothing_. Except maybe getting the hell out of town for a day or so just as a change of pace. Just to clear his head.

Then Marti pulls _this_ shit on him.

Squall fumed inwardly as he glared toward the bedroom where his client was still passed out. Damn girl. She acted like she hadn't a fucking clue what this was all about. And Squall suddenly had an absolutely sick feeling in his gut that maybe it _wasn't_ an act. Maybe she _didn't_ have a clue. But if that was the case, then why the hell was she even _there_? Most of his clients knew how the game was played and they had fun with it.

But _this_ girl…Squall got up and checked on her, finding her still out, and considered putting her dinner in the fridge until she woke up. That had to be the reason that she'd passed out. She was tired, her blood sugar was low, and she'd obviously been stressed as a result. That had to be it.

Then he swallowed, gazing down at her. Why, _why_ had Marti booked this girl with _him_?

_Because she wanted the personal defense package, because no one else could do that but me, and because she met my price and then some, just so I'd be available for her._ That's what he'd been _told_ , anyway.

It was just his rotten luck that she was a petite, pretty brunette with big, soft doe eyes and flawless white skin. He'd always had a particular weakness for brunettes. Which was why he only booked blonds as his clients. It was easier for him to keep things professional that way.

He wasn't made _completely_ of stone, after all.

_No, just MOSTLY of stone,_ he thought bitterly.

He sighed and padded out of the bedroom to the kitchen, grabbed a beer from his fridge and returned to his original position on the couch. He opened the beer and took a long pull from it, and opened up his laptop again.

He spent the next few moments logging into his various investment accounts, tracking their progress. As long as the current trends held, he'd meet his goals and then…then he wouldn't have to do this side-job any more and he could just go back to being head of security. He'd have his retirement nest egg back and Ellone wouldn't have to feel so guilty about getting sick and wiping him out with her bills.

Still, it wasn't _all_ bad. He'd have been lying if he'd said that he didn't enjoy bedding a different, beautiful woman almost every weekend. He didn't actually mind that most of them were older, and the money he earned from a single weekend booking was nearly double his regular salary.

And really, it wasn't that much of a change from his former job as a SeeD mercenary. He was still selling his body for money. He was still a whore, as someone less charitable had once called him. The only real difference was the fact that he wasn't killing anyone and no one was trying to kill him.

And oddly, there were some that might consider this change in his professions to actually be an improvement.

Still, he'd needed this weekend off. He'd had his hands full with his legitimate job all goddamn week keeping the grounds secure, the paparazzi away from the perimeter and the privacy of the guests protected. He'd damn near gotten killed rescuing an idiot photographer from an attacking Torama the other day, only to have the bastard threaten to sue.

_Should have let the fucking cat eat him._ Squall thought darkly, taking another pull from his beer. He didn't however. He'd rescued the fool instead, escorted him from the property, quoting every law the shithead had broken along the way, and had gotten a lawsuit threat and a new scar out of the deal. Fucking fantastic.

But hey, at least their guests were protected. Torama were particularly adept at breaching the grounds, and for some reason they were insistent upon doing so. Probably because of the chocobo stables they had there. The big cats _loved_ chocobos.

Chances were, even if that idiot _hadn't_ been there, Squall would have had to kill the cat anyway. The fool was just lucky that Squall had found them before the Torama killed him. Not that the asshole had been _at all_ grateful.

Finished with his beer, Squall got up from the couch and tossed the empty bottle, then returned to his laptop to shut it down after a final glance at his emails. Yawning, he rubbed at his eyes, considering his current situation with regards to sleeping arrangements.

If the girl…if _Rinoa,_ had been awake and aware, he'd have simply taken his side of the bed and left the other side to her…. and she could decide from there if she wanted anything besides sleep to happen. It made little difference to Squall. Either option was fine with him.

But she wasn't. And while Squall couldn't claim to be a gentleman... the mere thought that the term might be applied to him made him want to laugh... he wasn't an animal either.

Shrugging philosophically, he got up from the couch and went into his bedroom, glancing briefly at Rinoa before entering his bathroom to brush his teeth and get ready for bed. Once that was done, he deftly plucked the second pillow off the bed and got a light blanket from his linen closet on his way back to the living room. He was sleeping on the couch tonight.

* * *

Rinoa woke up feeling well rested…and famished. Yawning, she stretched and rolled over, wondering why she was still in her clothes, and why there was only one pillow on the otherwise gargantuan bed. Another person could have easily fit in the bed with her and with room to spare, but it looked like she'd been its only occupant.

That observation sparked her memory of the previous night and she bolted upright with a gasp. _She really was in the apartment of a gorgeous man who apparently came with her spa package!_ That simply defied logic. There _had_ to have been some kind of mistake, because she _knew_ Quistis and Selphie wouldn't have done this to her on purpose.

Throwing the light bedspread off, she leaped out of the bed and promptly tripped over her bags, which had been left on the floor next to it, landing on the floor with a thump and a quiet curse. She froze, heart pounding, wondering if the noise would bring Mister stud-for-hire into the room to investigate. When it didn't, she sighed in relief and scrambled to her feet, looking for her purse.

Upon finding it, she dug through it frantically until she found her cell phone…. and mentally kicked herself for forgetting to charge it before she'd left. And she wasn't sure she'd remembered to pack her charger. Growling in frustration, she smacked her forehead with the hand containing the phone several times, then chucked it back into the purse. Then she plopped back onto the edge of the bed with a sigh.

_Now_ what was she going to do? And where _was_ Mister Stud for Hire anyway?

_Leonhart. He said his name was Squall Leonhart. What an odd name._ She thought, then she wondered why she'd awakened alone when he'd as much as told her that they'd be sharing his bed for the duration of her stay. Then she remembered.

" _I won't touch you until you ask me to."_ She hadn't asked him; indeed, she'd passed out and was unable to give any kind of consent at all. She thought about that for a long moment.

Nothing had to happen that she didn't want to happen. Mr. Leonhart…Squall… had told her that too. She heaved a heavy sigh of relief. Okay. She could do this. It was _still_ a spa, right? And regardless of Mr. Leonhart's _other_ duties, he was still her concierge in the classic sense of the term, and could still help her to avail herself of the spa's other, more legitimate offerings.

Considering her situation from that aspect, Rinoa began to feel better about it, and even a little bit excited at the prospect of being pampered like a princess for the first time in her life. All while enjoying the mouthwatering eye-candy that Mr. Leonhart provided.

Then she shook her head in amazement at that, thinking, _nice to know I'm not dead yet…_

Making a decision, she pounced on her luggage and tore it open, digging through the contents until she came up with the outfit that she wanted to wear that day, and then got up, stripped off and jumped into the shower.

Upon finishing, she wandered through the apartment looking for him, wondering where he'd disappeared to…again. The smell of coffee drew her like an irresistible lure into the kitchen. As she walked through the living room toward it, she glanced over at the couch and saw the matching pillow from Squall's bed on top of a folded bedspread on one end.

Well, that answered the question of where he'd slept the previous night.

Entering the kitchen, she poked through the cupboards until she found a coffee cup and gratefully poured herself a cup from the pot sitting in the coffeemaker. She took a deep breath and smiled in appreciation of its aroma. Mr. Leonhart apparently liked his coffee in a robust dark roast, and…Rinoa cast about, looking for some sugar, discovering instead a grinder that had apparently been used recently. That alone caused him to rise several levels in Rinoa's estimation of his character.

Nobody who liked his coffee freshly ground could be _all_ bad.

Finally finding the sugar, she put a couple of spoonfuls in, then looked around in the refrigerator for some milk, sighing when she couldn't find any. Apparently, Mr. Leonhart preferred his coffee black. Either that or he had simply run out and hadn't bothered to get any more milk.

While nosing through his refrigerator, she discovered that aside from the fact that he was well stocked with a rather expensive, imported brand of beer, he had also been nice enough to put her salad-and-soup dinner away on the off chance that she'd want to eat it.

Salad and soup however, was _not_ what Rinoa wanted to eat first thing in the morning for breakfast.

And she _still_ hadn't found Squall. She wondered if he'd left or something.

It was while she was leaning against the counter, sipping at her coffee, that she finally noticed the breeze ruffling the elegant, floor to ceiling curtains that obscured what had to be patio doors. She wondered how she could have missed the bright sunlight that the draperies couldn't quite hide, nor the fragrance of the breeze that blew through the opened door. The only thing that she could use to explain that was the fact that she'd been wholly focused upon getting her first cup of coffee that morning.

She figured that a balcony or patio lay on the other side of the door, and that Squall might possibly be found there. So she walked toward the opened glass door, pushing the curtains aside to duck through. Sure enough, Squall sat at a glass topped table drinking a cup of coffee and absently, methodically eating a bowl of grapes while absorbed in working on his laptop.

"Good morning." He greeted her without looking up.

"Uh... Good morning." Rinoa replied hesitantly, approaching the table and sitting down opposite him.

She glanced around at the patio, charmed by the understated elegance of the shaded, wrought iron and glass topped table, the similarly designed iron chairs topped with sturdy cushions, and the twin chaise lounges at one end of the patio area.

On the far side of the table sat a metal trolley with covered containers which Rinoa assumed contained Squall's…and her…. breakfast. Next to those containers was a small tray that contained what looked like a silver teapot or coffee carafe; another smaller pot for cream and a bowl that she assumed contained sugar. Another, small square container held packets of various types of sugar substitutes if that was what she preferred.

"Help yourself," Squall said. "I know you missed dinner. I had them bring up a little bit of everything, since I didn't know what you'd prefer. I would suggest that you keep it fairly light however. We're due at the gym in about an hour and a half."

Rinoa directed her attention back to him; frustrated when she couldn't read his expression due to the sunglasses he was wearing. Even as early as it appeared to be (though Rinoa really had no idea as she hadn't reset her watch yet) the sun was nearly blindingly bright. It gleamed off of the stainless steel containers that Rinoa found contained scrambled eggs, sausage, ham and bacon. Another of the containers held fresh fruits of various types, grapes, melon and strawberries among them.

She got up then and helped herself to a little bit of the egg and a lot of the fruit, particularly the melons and strawberries. After considering for a moment, she also appropriated a small bunch of deep red grapes as well. Carrying her plate on one hand, she then used her free hand to take the pot of cream with her, happily splashing a dollop into her coffee as she sat down.

As she settled down to eat, she gazed out over the balcony and finally noticed the view. A beautiful, virtually deserted white-sanded beach with clear, turquoise water beyond dominated the view. Sweet, cool breezes blew in over the sea and ruffled her hair back off her face and changed the morning temperature, which was edging toward hot, to pleasantly balmy instead. That same breeze carried with it the sound of the surf and the cries of the seabirds. Palm trees dotted the area just landward of the strip of sand, which ended far off to the right in a rocky finger of land that jutted out into the ocean. The view was stunning.

Then she returned her gaze to Squall, noting that he'd nearly finished his bowl of grapes. She watched in fascination as he carefully plucked one off of the stalk, rolled it between his long, graceful fingers, then appeared to carefully polish it upon the cloth napkin that sat on the table next to the bowl, before finally placing it in his mouth. That same, methodical action was repeated for each and every grape that he ate, though he seemed to scarcely be paying attention to it or to her. Instead he continued perusing the contents of his laptop, scrolling down the screen with one hand while still absently plucking and polishing grapes with the other.

_He_ provided another type of view, one easily as fascinating and alluring as the beach was. The breeze that combed through her hair riffled his as well, and the sun struck coppery sparks from the medium brown locks. It also glinted brilliantly off of the silvery chain that peeked above the neckline of his white tee shirt before disappearing inside of it, and the silver stud in his left ear.

As for his face…. well, the dark sunglasses hid a good portion of it, so Rinoa was unable to get a read on him. Not that he'd given her much to go on the night before anyway. He was… if not precisely _pleasant_ , certainly not rude either. Instead his entire manner and attitude toward her was carefully neutral. Aloof. Almost detached. That puzzled her, given what his job entailed. She'd have thought he'd be _far_ more accommodating. More personable.

Instead, he barely acknowledged her presence and aside from the greeting he gave her when she first joined him, didn't talk to her. Perhaps he was still put off by the scheduling mishap that had taken his weekend away from him.

When the silence drew out to an uncomfortable (to her) degree, Rinoa finally ventured to ask him, "Why do we need to be in the gym in an hour?"

Without looking at her (that she could tell anyway), "You were booked with me because you'd expressed interest in self-defense and personal security. I teach that." Then he finally turned to face her and added, "You'll want to change into something that you can move comfortably in."

Rinoa frowned slightly and concentrated on eating her breakfast, saying, "Okay." Her outfit _was_ in fact very comfortable… it was a lightweight spaghetti strap cotton sundress in a predominantly blue floral print. But if she was going to be doing anything at all athletic, it was certainly impractical. She sighed and decided to dig out her gray yoga pants instead.

At least his statement about her pending self-defense course with him shed some light on how she came to be in his company. She'd mentioned wanting to do that to Selphie not long ago, and Selphie had apparently taken it to heart and engaged Mr. Leonhart's services, possibly deducing from the fee that he was _very_ good at what he did, not realizing that it went _far_ beyond just teaching a course.

"By the way, I teach in two-hour blocks. After we're done, you can do anything else here that you'd like. Just let me know what it is and I'll set it up for you." Squall told her.

"Okay. Now that you mention it, I'd love to do the whole spa thing: mud bath, mani-pedi, waxing, hair and skincare…all of that stuff." Rinoa said. Dammit, she was there to be pampered, and she had to start _somewhere_.

"Alright." Squall said, making some random taps on his laptop before saying, "I've reserved a four hour block for you after lunch today. We can go to dinner afterward if you like."

"Okay." Rinoa said, finishing off the last of her breakfast.

"Finished?" Squall asked her. When she nodded, he gestured to the trolley, "put the plate and utensils there, then go ahead and get changed. You may want to unpack as well, so you aren't tripping over your luggage."

Rinoa felt her cheeks warm at that and she stood up to put the dishes away, hoping he didn't see and wondering if he'd heard her less than elegant exit from his bed that morning. He didn't appear to be paying her any attention however, so she started toward the doorway.

Before she reached it, he said looked at his watch and said, "we leave in twenty minutes."

"Okay. Thank you." Rinoa said, ducking through and heading toward the bedroom.

Squall watched her leave; very thankful indeed that his dark sunglasses hid the way his eyes studied the curves on her slender body. The sundress she'd been wearing had in fact been very becoming on her, and it had taken all of his will and more not to look at her any more than he had to. His apparent absorption in his laptop was a ruse, a distraction. Oh, he _had_ been checking in on some key investments and checking email, but that had only taken a few minutes. He knew he was coming across as rude or indifferent, but he truly didn't know what else to do. He had a bad feeling that if he let her, she'd get under his skin. And it wouldn't be as hard for her to accomplish that as one might think.

Particularly if she kept looking at him like she had while eating breakfast.

For the first time, he actually began to worry about what might happen if she decided to avail herself of his _other_ services…

"Shit," he whispered to himself, then shut the laptop down and brought it indoors.

* * *

"So…um, how long have you been working here?" Rinoa asked, attempting to engage Squall in conversation. It wasn't as easy as she'd thought it was going to be. Either he didn't like her at all or he was just naturally taciturn. She really couldn't tell at this point, but she couldn't help trying to talk to him, if for no other reason than to try to quell the attacks of nervousness that kept sneaking up on her at various intervals.

Nervousness that intensified every time she looked at him. It was totally unfair for him to look so good in the white tee shirt and black canvas pants he was wearing. She'd thought for a moment that he was wearing the same pajama pants from the previous night, but soon realized that they were not. Instead, once she got a better look at them, they appeared to be part of the uniform that martial artists wore when practicing. Loose-fitting but sturdy, and tied at the waist with a drawstring. He'd obviously chosen the outfit for practicality rather than fashion…but Rinoa still had trouble finding her voice every time she looked in his direction, intending to say something.

They walked along in silence for a long moment, then Squall answered her, "Two years."

"Two years? As…as a concierge?" She asked him. He shook his head.

"No. I've only been doing that for a few months." He answered her.

Rinoa frowned, "Why? What did you do before?"

"I was and still am the head of security here. I needed extra money so I started doing the concierge thing, but only on the weekends." He answered her.

"What did you need the extra money for?" Rinoa asked curiously. Squall fell silent and Rinoa cringed inwardly. Okay, perhaps that was not a subject he cared to talk about.

They arrived at the gym immediately afterward, and Rinoa gazed around the place with interest as Squall led her inside to a smaller, wooden-floored space that looked like a dance studio.

"Wait here," he directed, as he continued on to a door to one side of the mirrored wall, opening it to reveal a storage closet. He pulled from the shelves there two long and two shorter rolled bundles, tucking them under one arm and shutting the door. Returning to where Rinoa stood, he put the bundles down, placing one each of the long and the short bundles at her feet.

Upon closer inspection, she finally figured out that the longer bundle was in fact a yoga mat, and the smaller one was a rolled up towel.

"You can just set those aside for now, we're not going to use them just yet." Squall told her.

"So, what are we going to do first then?" Rinoa asked. She'd never taken an actual self-defense course before, but she lived in a large city, and her father had become increasingly concerned for her safety now that she was alone again. And truthfully, she _was_ interested in defending herself.

"Warm up." Squall answered her, then he moved to face her and walked forward until he was close enough that she had to look up at him.

"Before we do that though, there's a few things you need to know: first off, when I'm in here, I'm serious. Serious about teaching you what you need to know in order to stay safe and to defend yourself. I want you to be serious about learning. No games here. If you want to play later that's fine but _not here_. Understand?" Squall's cold eyes bored into Rinoa's until she swallowed and nodded.

Squall raised one eyebrow and said, "I didn't hear that."

"I understand…sir?" Rinoa answered tentatively.

"Squall will do." He corrected her. Then he tilted his head to one side and studied her intently, asking, "Have you had any self-defense training at all?"

"A little," Rinoa admitted. "The free classes at the community center…" Her voice trailed off.

"I see." Squall said. Then he moved to stand beside her, just outside of arm's length.

"We're going to start with a warm up. Follow what I do, keep your movements slow and fluid. We'll gradually get faster but I want you to get the flow down first." Squall said, falling into instructor mode, something that he found surprisingly easy to do.

Rinoa did her best to mirror his movements, realizing that he'd stood beside her for that express purpose: to lead her through the exercise. At first, he just showed her the different stances and forms, moving her slowly from one position to the next, correcting her where it was needed. When he was satisfied that she had the forms down, then he started with the exercise itself.

There was no music, nothing to keep time or rhythm, but still, watching him flow gracefully through the different stances and forms, Rinoa couldn't help thinking of it as a sort of dance. When that thought lodged in her mind, she went with it and followed along with him. She caught his approving glance, and then she looked at the mirrored wall and almost gasped as she saw how they moved in perfect tandem. It was beautiful.

Then he gradually stepped up the tempo until she was just starting to break a light sweat and gasp for air. When he saw that she appeared to be warmed up enough he called a halt and moved to face her.

"Okay, I think that's good enough. Let's do some stretches. Make sure we're ready for this, because I don't want you to get hurt." Squall said, leading her through several different routines until she felt loose and limber.

Shaking his arms and legs out, he asked her, "Everything feel good? Loose and ready to work?"

"Yes," Rinoa answered, shaking her arms and legs out as well.

"Good. Now here's the second thing that you need to know: if at any point you feel uncomfortable or hurt, either tap me or tell me to stop." Squall instructed her seriously.

"Okay." Rinoa nodded.

"Alright. Here we go." Squall said.

Before Rinoa could blink, Squall was on her, wrapping her up in a chokehold that held her motionless. Fear drove the air from her lungs and made her heart pound painfully.

"What is your first instinct when you're attacked?" Squall asked her, lips close to her ear.

It took her a moment to realize that she could breathe, that Squall wasn't _actually_ trying to strangle her. His forearm _was_ across her throat and if she moved even a little she could feel a shock go right through to the base of her skull.

Finally, she took a deep, shaky breath and answered, "Escape. Get away."

"Right. And if you try, what happens?" he asked her.

She tried. She swore he never tightened his hold at all, didn't move, but _her_ movements pushed his arm more firmly into her throat, into that particular pressure point that it rested against, causing black spots to dance before her watering eyes.

"You get hurt." She answered.

"Exactly." Squall replied. "An attacker will be prepared for you to attempt escape. To get away. He won't be prepared for you to step into him, pull him in closer. That will put him off balance and allow you to inflict some serious damage. Once he's on the ground, _then_ you can escape." He released her then, and stepped to the side of her.

"So, here's what you do," he told her, taking a stance. "Drive the elbow back into the ribs, then bring the fist down into the groin. Step back, scrape your heel down his shin and stomp the instep. _Hard_." He showed Rinoa the movements and directed her to try them herself, correcting her when she needed it.

"Good, looks like you got it. Want to try it from the choke? Remember to tap if you're uncomfortable or anything." Squall told her.

Rinoa swallowed, suddenly apprehensive. His first attack was so unexpected it had actually frightened her. He'd moved so fast she hadn't even seen him until his arm was across her throat and his body was pressed intimately against hers. But then, that was the whole point of this instruction. She wouldn't be expecting an attack so she'd have to learn how to deal with it, not only physically, but mentally as well.

And that was why Rinoa had wanted to study this in the first place. She didn't want to be a victim, didn't want to be afraid. She'd always been one to fight rather than flee, and so she'd wanted to learn the skills she'd need to give a good accounting for herself.

So she took a deep breath and nodded, saying, "Okay."

This time, when he attacked, she was ready for him. As his arm came across her throat, she stepped back, colliding with his body and using her momentum to drive her elbow into his ribcage, while simultaneously scraping her foot down his shin and stomping on his instep. Finally she brought her arm down and slammed the balled fist into his groin. And…. nothing happened.

Oh, she'd felt the whoosh of his breath when she'd elbowed him, but virtually nothing else. Not surprising really, considering the man was solid muscle. And slamming the fist into the groin? Also not achieving expected results either, as she slammed it right into what she guessed had to be a cup, judging by the hollow knock she heard. On the bright side, he _did_ loosen the choke-hold. But if it had been a _real_ attack, she'd have been dead.

"Not bad," he said, unperturbed by her efforts. He let go of her and stepped away for a moment, studying her.

"Did I even hurt you?" She asked, biting her lip.

"Not really, but if I hadn't been wearing a cup, I'd be spending the remainder of the evening with an icepack on my balls." He replied with a slight quirk to his lips.

Then he narrowed his eyes and muttered, "I'm going about this all wrong. Wait here a moment." Without any further comment, he walked back to the storage closet and came out with what looked like a padded shield.

"What's that?" Rinoa asked him curiously.

"You need to learn how to punch. You don't have enough power in your blows to do anything really but piss off your opponent, which would completely negate the whole idea of 'self-defense'. You want to learn how to defend yourself, not get yourself killed." Squall stated, setting the item down.

Then he approached her and said, "Make a fist." When she did, he took her wrist and examined it critically, then shook his head.

"Relax your hand." He shook her fist until her hand relaxed. "Like this." He said, curling her fingers into her palm and tucking the thumb over the top of them. "Now, squeeze." He placed his hand over the taut, bony little fist that she'd made, and nodded his approval.

"Good. Now punch my hand." He ordered, placing it palm up, facing her. She did, smacking her hand solidly into the palm.

"Not bad. But try this," he said coming to stand beside her. "Balance your weight on both feet and bring your hands up, like so." He showed her what he meant, and she copied him. "Good. Now you use that foundation to power the punch. Use your body, not just your arm, and breathe out when you do it." He showed her, and she tried it.

They worked like that for several minutes, Squall drilling her on various punches and strikes until Rinoa was dripping sweat and beginning to tire. Then he picked up his padded shield and stood directly in front of her with it.

"Punch this as hard as you can. Right here." he pointed to the center. "Try to make me step back or put me off balance." He set his feet until he was rock-solid, and urged her, "Go."

Rinoa took a deep breath, set her feet like she'd seen Squall do, brought her fists up and punched at the target with all her might. Squall didn't budge.

"Again." She took another breath, and then exhaled as she threw the punch. It impacted the target solidly, but Squall still didn't move.

"Good. Again." Another punch. Better this time, she could feel it.

"Again."

Her focus narrowed onto just the target and her punching. Each time Squall urged her to do another; she did her best to hit harder than the time before. It was tiring her out, but she could see that her punches were getting better. Squall still hadn't shifted, was still solid on his feet, but Rinoa didn't care. She just kept pummeling the bag for all she was worth.

"Harder!" Squall urged her, and she did her best to comply.

"Another! Harder!" she growled under her breath and threw everything she had at him, rocking him back and forcing him to shift to regain his balance.

"Okay, that's good." Squall said. "Now use that. We don't have enough time for me to really teach you much but the very, very basics, but a good, solid punch is one of the most important. An attacker won't expect a tiny little thing like you to even know _how_ to punch, let alone throw one that's solid enough to back him up, maybe even put him on the ground if you hit him right. That element of surprise could save your life. Now, there are some very important targets that you want to concentrate on."

He proceeded to show her, starting with his nose. "The bridge of the nose. You do a palm-heel strike, like so," he showed her, driving his hand upward, using the heel as the striking point. "It'll shatter the nose, sending bones and cartilage into the brain. It's a killing stroke if done right. Here," he tapped his throat at his adam's apple. "Hit hard enough here, it also can disable or kill. The eyes; rake them with your nails to discourage any attacker and he _will_ back off. And of course, there's this," he tapped at his cup, causing Rinoa's cheeks to warm. "An attacker with rape on his mind won't be wearing one. Hit, kick or knee him there as hard as you can and he'll drop like a rock. Then you can run."

He went on to show her other vulnerable points and the most effective techniques to attack them with, working with her until he was satisfied. The entire time that he was instructing her however, he had to remind himself to focus on what he was teaching her. The scent of her hair, the pretty flush on her cheeks as she exerted herself, the sparkle in her brown eyes, the way her slim body felt against his…it distracted him. Fascinated him. Aroused him.

He'd never been more attracted to a client before in his life, and he waffled between hopeful eagerness that she'd take advantage of _all_ of his duties…and worry about what would result if she did. She was _too_ pretty, and he was _too_ interested. _Damn Marti for sending her to me!_

Hard as he tried to focus on his instruction, his attraction still affected him enough that it yielded unfortunate results.

"Okay, Rinoa. You want to try the choke one more time?" He asked her.

"Yeah!" she nodded confidently. "Let's do it!"

Squall attacked, and she was ready for him. As soon as his forearm came across her throat, choking her painfully, she did as he'd taught her. She stepped back, scraping her foot down his shin and stomping the instep, while simultaneously jabbing into Squall's ribs with her elbow and then bringing her fist down in a hammer strike right to his groin. Knowing that he was protected, Rinoa slammed it as hard as she could, and froze in surprise when Squall abruptly let go.

"Shit!" Rinoa whirled around and gasped as she saw Squall bent double and cursing, face pale.

"Oh my gosh! Did I hurt you? I thought you were protected!" she exclaimed, hand over her mouth.

"I am….I was…" Squall managed, then took a deep breath. "It…shifted." There was no way he was going to tell her that she'd aroused him to the point that his cup had been largely ineffective. Of course, _that_ was no longer a problem, thanks to Rinoa's proper execution of a hammer strike.

"Are you going to be okay?" Rinoa approached him, cheeks pink and her bottom lip caught in her teeth.

_Dammit girl! You're too damn cute for your own good!_

"Yeah," he grunted, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. "I just need a minute."

"Are you sure?" she pressed.

Squall nodded, "Yeah. That was a good solid hit by the way. If I hadn't been wearing the cup, I'd be on the ground in a fetal position right about now. It hurts like hell but not as bad as it might have been otherwise."

"So, um…no icepacks tonight?" Rinoa asked him. Squall wanted to laugh suddenly.

Instead, he quirked a small smile and asked her, "Why, worried about my performance later?"

Her face reddened further and she stammered, "N..no…I just…uh…" She gulped and took a deep breath. "I…I was just worried I'd hurt you…"

"I'm okay," He assured her, then glanced at his watch. "But I think we're done here."


	3. Chapter 3

After Squall led Rinoa through a routine of stretching to cool down, she realized that she really was very tired and hungry after her exertions, and she also desperately wanted a shower. That left her a little bit worried: how would they work out the showering arrangements? Would Squall expect to be included? Given the interesting configuration of his shower, which was extra large with a head at each end, it was a possibility.

She swallowed, cheeks growing warm at the images that conjured. No. There was no way. Devastatingly sexy or not, she simply couldn't bring herself to get naked with a virtual stranger. She hoped he'd understand.

As she stood there worrying about that little dilemma, Squall put the items away that he'd gotten out for their training session and approached her, saying, "it's nearly lunchtime, and I for one would like to get cleaned up before we eat."

"Um…do we…. Have to shower together?" Rinoa asked, cheeks deepening in color from pink to rose to bright red.

Squall tilted his head and studied her in veiled amusement, fascinated by the color changes her fair skin displayed. Then he frowned slightly, wondering again why she was there. Something about her reactions to him seemed a little off and it nagged at the back of his mind. Most of his clients were far bolder, particularly after a workout like the one they'd just finished. There was more than one occasion where they hadn't even made it to the shower.

Perhaps it was because she was much younger than the women he normally saw. Maybe that played a part in her shyness around him. Whatever the reason, Squall decided he'd do his best to put her at ease and let her decide if she wanted anything more than a simple spa weekend.

It wouldn't be the first time. Not every woman that contracted him as her concierge wanted sex. Sometimes, they really just wanted the self-defense instruction. It was just an added bonus to them that their instructor, in addition to being scarily competent, was also young and handsome. Sometimes, all his clients wanted was the fantasy…. going home to their husbands afterwards with a clear conscience and the smug satisfaction of having withstood temptation.

Finally, Squall answered her, "Not if you don't want to. In fact, why don't you go on to the room and take your shower. I'll clean up down here in the locker room."

Rinoa sighed in relief, "Thank you. I'm sorry I've put you out…"

"Don't worry about it," Squall said noncommittally. "If you like, we can catch up later over lunch before you go to the spa."

"Okay. I'd like that. What time is the appointment?" she asked him.

"Two o'clock." He answered.

"Okay," She nodded, and then turned to leave. She got two steps, patted at the rear pocket of her pants, exclaimed, "Oh, darn!" stopped and turned around to see Squall silently holding out his keycard.

She laughed softly in embarrassment and said, "Thanks." The she took it from him and turned and left.

Squall watched her go for a moment, thinking that it was just as well that she preferred showering alone, and that he was going to be cleaning up in the locker room rather than his apartment. At least he didn't have to hear her showering and think about what she might look like with water beading on her creamy white skin….

He growled under his breath, grabbed his gym bag and stalked toward the locker room for a cold shower.

The shock of the cold water hitting his skin was more than enough to cool him off. Once he'd regained his focus, he gradually warmed the water up, quickly washing and rinsing himself.

_She's just a client._ He told himself _, that's all. And it looks like all you'll have to do is set up her appointments, teach a couple of self-defense classes and make sure she's taken care of. She doesn't seem interested in anything else. So just focus on that and before you know it, she'll be on a plane back to Galbadia._

By the time he had dried off and started dressing, his armor was back.

* * *

Rinoa meanwhile, had plenty to think about while showering. She had expected the self-defense class to be physically draining; that sort of thing came with the territory. And while she only had a two-day crash course in it, she could already tell that Squall was very, very good at what he was teaching her. She wondered at that. Yes, he was head of security there, but that alone couldn't account for his skill. Nor for that matter, did it account for the scars she'd seen on his body.

Her guess was that he was ex-military, perhaps from some type of Special Forces unit or something. That brought her thoughts around to the tattoo on his shoulder. Allyn had worked with special units before, and those that he could talk to her about, he did. For the most part, the special units that had been used were different divisions within the Galbadian Army, and according to Allyn, they all had their own designations. And yeah, a lot of them _did_ tattoo their unit names and badges on their shoulders as a mark of their brotherhood.

Something about the marking on his shoulder seemed familiar, but Rinoa couldn't place it right at the moment. Perhaps she would ask him about it at lunch, assuming he'd be willing to talk about it.

Hopefully he would. It was sure to be a conversational topic distracting enough to prevent her from being mesmerized by his clear aquamarine eyes, or thinking about how warm his body had felt against hers. Maybe it would help her to forget how he'd smelled, how his hair had tickled her cheek, how his warm breath had puffed against her ear when he'd spoken into it….

She shook her head in frustration. He'd been _training_ her. _Teaching_ her. At no time during that session had he even come _close_ to anything inappropriate. For all she knew, he wasn't even interested. He'd said he preferred blonds, so it was highly unlikely that he even found her attractive. That _should_ have relieved her. It didn't.

Sighing in exasperation, Rinoa flipped the tap over to cold and gasped, as she was drenched in icy water, leaving her shivering in reaction. There. That should shock her out of the urge to put on her prettiest dress and slick a bit of gloss on her lips and mascara on her eyelashes.

Turning off the shower, she stepped out and dried off. In defiance of her earlier impulse, she chose a pair of black shorts, a black tank top and a blue cotton chambray shirt to wear over the tank. The silver necklace with her mother's platinum wedding band on it rested in its usual place around her neck. Finally, she pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

Licking at her dry lips however caused Rinoa to finally cave in to the drier climate of Esthar and slick on some lip-gloss, just to keep her lips from getting chapped.

Checking the mirror one last time, Rinoa was satisfied. NO makeup, aside from the lip gloss, hair in a ponytail, regular clothes…she was pretty sure that she was far from alluring. Certainly not like the blond bombshells Squall presumably enjoyed on a regular basis.

She exited the bedroom to find Squall seated on his couch, attention once again riveted to his laptop computer. She wondered what he was doing that had him so interested in it.

Clearing her throat softly, she said, "Sorry if I took too long…"

"Don't worry about it. Are you ready to go?" He asked her, finally closing the laptop down and looking up…and trying hard not to react to the sudden punch of …something… that hit him right in the guts as he met her gaze.

She wasn't wearing any makeup, wasn't primped and polished and wearing jewels or designer clothes. In fact, it appeared she had dressed for comfort rather than to impress him. But her fresh, flawless complexion, her soft brown eyes and her raven-black hair needed no enhancement. Her natural beauty was more than enough to leave him speechless.

Just like that, the armor he'd managed to put back into place just moments ago, was breached.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_ He thought in sudden frustration, forcibly shoving those feelings aside and doing his best to tamp them down and ignore them. Letting out a quiet breath, he swallowed, then got up and silently led the way to the resort's restaurant.

"You know," Rinoa said as they walked. "You don't have to eat lunch with me if you don't want to."

Squall glanced over at her and replied, "I'm hungry too. Might as well have company."

"Oh." She said in a small voice. "Okay."

They walked in silence, with Rinoa thinking up and discarding several different topics in an effort to get _some_ sort of conversation going. It was pretty obvious that Mr. Leonhart was not a terribly chatty person and was unlikely to initiate anything from his end. She wanted to ask him about his tattoo, about how he came to be at this resort and a million other inconsequential things, but didn't want to come across as nosy or prying.

But, at the same time, he was a mystery to her, and had piqued her curiosity. Something that hadn't happened since she met, become engaged to and tragically lost Allyn. She'd been so lost in her pain and loneliness, had missed him so desperately, that the world outside her own little bubble of solitude had ceased to exist.

If she gained nothing else from this weekend that her friends had so generously gifted to her, it was the realization that the world did in fact exist and it had moved on. And she had to as well. And there were worse things than being in the company of an undeniably attractive man to provide the impetus to move forward with her life. The fact that she even found him attractive told her right there that she had finished mourning Allyn.

It was truly ironic that the man didn't even appear to be interested in her, despite his rather frank description of his job the previous night.

It was just as well, she decided. She hadn't actually come to this place for that anyway. Right? _Right?_

Just once however, a secret part of her wanted to throw caution to the wind and take everything that this sexy stranger offered her. What harm would come of it? It wasn't likely that they'd ever see each other again once she went home to Deling City. And dammit, Rinoa had been the "good girl" all of her life, and it had left her feeling both lonely and empty.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_ She wondered. Maybe she needed another cold shower.

"Rinoa?" Squall's voice broke into her reverie and she looked up to see him studying her intently.

"Yes?" she responded.

"We're here. Did you want to sit inside or out on the patio?" He asked her.

"Outside. It's so lovely today, and the grounds here are just gorgeous." She answered.

He nodded and spoke softly to the waiter, who led them through the dining room, through a pair of glass doors and out into what looked like a garden. They were seated at a table next to a brilliantly colorful display of tropical flowers and plants, with a nearby fountain providing the soothing sounds of splashing and tinkling water.

Rinoa looked around and tried her best to absorb everything that she was seeing. It was all so beautiful, every bit as beautiful as she'd hoped it would be. What she didn't expect however was that the man sitting across from her would eclipse that beauty.

"What would you like?" he was asking her. Rinoa blinked, mesmerized by his crystalline azure eyes. She'd thought them beautiful last night when she'd seen them glaring icily at her, but they'd been hidden by sunglasses this morning. She didn't know why he'd removed them as they sat down for lunch, but seeing his eyes now in daylight… they were just stunning.

Finally, she tore her gaze away and stared blindly at the menu for a moment, cheeks warm, before mumbling, "um… I don't know…what do you like?"

"The seafood's good. It's caught fresh daily." He answered her.

Returning her attention to him, asked him, "Do you have a favorite dish?"

"Grilled sea bass. It's quite good." Squall informed her.

"Then I'll give it a try." she smiled at him, brown eyes sparkling.

Squall swallowed and took a sip of cold water to try and settle himself. That smile… and Gods, those soft, _beautiful_ brown eyes…Oh, he was in serious trouble.

Fortunately the waiter provided a welcome diversion as Squall ordered their meals, asking Rinoa what she'd like to drink. She opted for iced tea. He was tempted to order a shot of rum. Or Estharian bourbon. Straight up. No ice. _Might as well have them leave the whole damn bottle…_

He was _tempted_ to. But he didn't. The only thing _that_ would accomplish would be his transformation into a complete asshat. There was a _reason_ that Squall drank only _lightly_. He ordered a beer instead.

"So, um… I've been meaning to ask you," Rinoa began hesitantly, breaching the increasingly awkward silence that had descended.

"Ask me what?"

"What did you do before you came here? How did you end up doing this job?" Rinoa asked curiously.

Squall raised his eyebrows and set his glass of water down, asking her in turn, "Why do you want to know?"

Rinoa smiled slightly at his cagey answer. Yes, definitely ex military, and either special branch or intelligence, considering how guarded he was. How little of his personal information he revealed.

Caraway hadn't let too much of his personal life become impacted by his job as the general of the Galbadian army. But Rinoa had been dragged to the occasional social function that her father had to attend as his escort, and had met some of the people he worked with. She got to the point where she could spot the intelligence officers, the spies, and the elite soldiers that he sometimes came in contact with. She even remembered one such function where some special invitees had caused quite a stir. Mercenaries.

Recalling that event, Rinoa remembered how they'd entered in a tight-knit group, as immaculately attired as everyone else in their own dress uniforms. But each one of them was lean and hard, cold-eyed and dangerous looking…and _young_ , early twenties at most. She couldn't help thinking that her father had invited a pack of wolves to the banquet. She'd learned later that they were the legendary and fearsome SeeD mercenaries that her father had met with and contracted for some purpose that she wasn't privy to, a fact that had relieved her. She didn't want to know.

Then it struck her. Squall's tattoo. It was virtually the same as the badges the SeeDs had worn that evening.

"I was just curious." She answered his question, and then asked him, "You were a SeeD, weren't you?"

Squall blinked. He hadn't thought she'd recognize the insignia on his shoulder. Most women didn't.

Finally he answered, "Yes. I was."

"It took me a while to figure it out. I'd seen that emblem before, I just couldn't place it right away." Rinoa commented.

"You'd seen it before?" Squall asked her, wondering how. Certainly not in a professional capacity, unless she'd had occasion to hire a SeeD. Most people who came in contact with SeeDs in a professional context ended up dead. She didn't look the type to contract an assassination, and it didn't appear that she'd need a bodyguard either. She wasn't famous or notorious or anything that he could discover that would require that type of security.

"Yes. My father would occasionally hire SeeDs if certain situations required it." Rinoa responded.

"Your father?" Squall asked, becoming curious.

"General Fury Caraway." Rinoa answered.

"I see." Squall said. Their food and drinks arrived then and he was inclined to let the subject drop, not willing to pursue any further discussion of Rinoa's parentage. That could lead to a question of _his_ parentage, something he preferred not to talk about. Mainly because for _him_ , all he had regarding that subject _were_ questions.

He was glad of the timely distraction provided by the meal, because it also provided a new conversational direction.

"This is really good," Rinoa commented as she took a bite of the fish.

"It is." Squall agreed, beginning to eat his own meal. It wasn't as good as Balamb fish, Squall's favorite, but since they didn't populate the waters this far south, the sea bass was a fairly good substitute.

Silence reigned for a little while, then Rinoa asked him again, "So, how did you come to be here?"

Squall took a sip of his beer, and then said, "Maybe I wanted to live to reach thirty."

"You're not sure?" Rinoa asked, confused by his non-answer.

He quirked his lips and said, "The jury's still out."

"So…you haven't actually left SeeD then, have you? Not really. This job is just an interim thing while you think about what you really want out of life. Is that it?" Rinoa asked him.

Squall frowned slightly at her insight. It wasn't the actual reason he'd left SeeD, not initially. He'd left to take care of Ellone. She was all he had, his only family. But she was in remission now, and had been for months. He could have gone back to Balamb, to his old job, if he'd wanted to. Cid would have welcomed him back, and even restored him to his former rank if he'd asked.

But he hadn't.

He took another sip of his beer and finally answered her, "yes."

Rinoa suddenly tilted her head and smiled at him, eyes sparkling, and said, "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"What do you mean?" Squall frowned at her, confused.

"Answering a question. It's called conversation Squall." Rinoa said, still smiling. Then she shook her head, commenting, "You know, for someone whose job it is to interact with clients on a personal level, you seem rather reluctant to actually _converse_ with them."

"Most of my clients would rather I simply listened." Squall said.

"So you let the women do all the talking?" Rinoa asked.

"Pretty much. Seems to work better that way." He answered.

"And do you actually listen?" Rinoa asked him.

"Of course I do. If I want to know what my client wants from me, I have to pay attention and listen." Squall answered.

"Don't they just tell you? Isn't that what part of your job entails? Catering to whatever fantasies your client may have?" Rinoa asked him curiously.

"Some do have a specific scenario in mind. Some don't. Some aren't even interested in anything physical, they just want to be paid attention to." Squall told her.

Rinoa sighed, "How sad must their lives be, that they'd have to pay someone to do that."

Squall shrugged in response. For the most part, he cared little for what motivated his clients to come to him. He strove to keep everything in the here and now, and so did they. Whatever pressures they had to deal with, whatever issues they had with their significant others, that all could be forgotten for a brief moment out of time. They didn't care to hear his life story, and he didn't want to hear theirs. It was all about feeling good for a few hours, or a couple of days, and forgetting about the outside world for a while.

Squall could understand that concept completely.

An awkward silence fell as Squall declined any sort of comment on Rinoa's opinion. Instead, he took another sip of his beer and concentrated on his meal. He focused on that, trying hard not to wonder what she was doing there in the first place, and what, if anything, she wanted from him…. and trying even harder not to think about what _he_ wanted from _her_.

"What…uh…what time is my appointment with the spa again?" Rinoa ventured tentatively, striving again to fill the silence that had fallen.

"Two." Squall reminded her.

"Where is it anyway? This place is so huge…"Rinoa asked him, looking around.

"I'll show you." He assured her.

"Oh. Okay, thank you." Rinoa finished the last few bites of her lunch and set her plate aside.

"You were right," she said. "The grilled sea bass was quite good."

"It's not Balamb fish, but it'll do as a native approximation of it." Squall commented.

"So, you're from Balamb. I thought I'd recognized the accent but it's very faint. You must have left it some time ago." Rinoa said.

"Two years." Squall said.

"Only two years? But it's all but gone!" Rinoa exclaimed.

Squall shrugged, "It _was_ gone, two years ago. It's started to come back."

"But, why?" Rinoa frowned at him. "I've always liked it, it's a lovely way of speaking."

Squall shrugged. "SeeD. Can't be pegged as being from anywhere if you don't have an accent to give it away."

"Well, that makes sense I suppose… it's interesting though, that it's coming back. Why, do you suppose? Particularly after you actively worked at eliminating it." Rinoa wondered.

"There are a lot of people here from Balamb. I guess I've just started falling into old patterns from association with them." Squall responded.

"I'll bet your clients like it." Rinoa said, smiling to hide the odd pang that struck her at the thought of him being with someone else. It was silly. She barely knew him. Besides, what did it matter what he'd done in the past and with whom?

Squall shrugged at that, "you're the first that's mentioned it."

Lunch completed, the server provided a pause as he came and removed their plates. As he did, he asked if they needed any refills on their drinks. Rinoa declined, as did Squall. After he left, Rinoa checked her watch, noting that she had more than an hour until her appointment.

"Is the spa very far from here?" Rinoa asked Squall.

"Not really." He answered.

"We've got some time to kill, would you mind showing me around a little bit as we head over there?" Rinoa asked him.

Squall tilted his head for a moment, studying her and considering her request. The resulting quizzical expression struck Rinoa as humorous and she was hard-put not to laugh.

"All right then. Let's go." He finally agreed, standing up.

"Thanks!" Rinoa beamed happily, jumping to her feet.

* * *

They strolled through the grounds, with Squall acting the part of tour guide to show her various points of interest. He showed her where she might find the pool if she were inclined to swim, the board shop near the beach if she wanted to surf or snorkel, the tennis, volleyball, badminton and basketball courts if she was interested in sports, tossing in a quick visit to the chocobo stables before finally ending up at the spa.

As he walked with her and answered her questions about the place, he couldn't help but feel his mood lifting at her obvious appreciation of the beauty of her surroundings. Tropical plants and flowers in the various types of gardens there that Squall had grown used to seeing were now viewed in a new light. The meditation garden in particular, with its air of peace and serenity, reminded him of how long it had been since he'd visited there.

When he'd first arrived at the resort, he'd gone there every morning, finding some desperately needed peace as he dealt with a lifetime's worth of conditioning for war and his sister's desperate fight for her life. Now those twin pressures had resolved themselves and Squall hadn't felt the need for it…. not until now, that was.

Rinoa's beautiful smile seemed to light up the entire world, causing her soft brown eyes to sparkle. The sun's golden light brought out blue sparks in her gleaming black hair, and a pretty rose flush to her cheeks as she walked with him, the tropical heat being more than she was used to. Given that it was March with winter just ending in Galbadia, Squall wasn't surprised.

But it was her fresh, uncomplicated, pure beauty that left Squall more than a little unsettled, wondering if maybe a bit of time spent alone in the mediation garden wouldn't help him find his center again. Restore his equilibrium.

Maybe.

As he showed her to the door of the spa she looked up at him, smiling so sweetly it made his heart thump painfully, and said, "Thank you Squall. This place is so lovely. How I envy you living and working here."

Squall frowned slightly and asked her, "You don't…. have a problem with what I do for a living here?"

At this, Rinoa frowned and bit her lip, then answered slowly, "Well, as to that… I suppose I'd have more of a problem if that were _all_ that you did. But it isn't, and…I don't know, it just seems that there's more to you than just _that_."

Squall stared at her, unsure of how to respond. In one form or another, he'd been a whore for most of his life. Selling his body and by extension the combat skills it contained as a mercenary, killing and running the risk of being killed, or selling his sexual prowess. Either way he was selling his body, and there were certain perceptions that went along with that. Certain judgments that some people cast his way when he told them what he did for a living. Sometimes he was okay with the way he was viewed. Sometimes, he wasn't.

Clearing his throat, he finally said, "It's nearly time for your appointment."

Rinoa nodded, "Right. So um… I guess I'll see you later?"

"If you want. We could go to dinner when you're done here, or really, anything else that you want to do." Squall replied.

Rinoa dropped her gaze to her feet for a moment, then raised it to meet his, smiling shyly. "I'd like that."

They simply stared at each other for an awkward moment, then Squall reached for the door handle and said, "Here. You can just meet me back at the room when you're done."

Rinoa nodded and he pulled the door open for her. She stepped inside, feeling suddenly very alone without Squall's presence. She wondered about that as she approached the reception desk, taking in the spa's elegant décor as she did: green painted walls, oatmeal colored wool carpeting, light-stained wood furnishings, and live tropical plants and flowers everywhere.

"May I help you?" the receptionist asked.

Rinoa directed her attention back to the attractive young woman and said, "I'm here for my appointment. I'm Rinoa Heartilly."

"Rinoa Heartilly?" The young woman asked, and when Rinoa nodded confirmation, she flipped open an appointment calendar and ran a perfectly manicured finger down a hand written list of names, finally stopping. "Ah, here we are. Right on time."

Tapping quickly on the keys of her computer, the receptionist asked, "We have you scheduled for a full spa treatment today, right? Mineral mud bath and facial, manicure and pedicure, waxing, hair and makeup too, correct?"

"Yes," Rinoa confirmed.

"Very good. Well, if you'll follow me, we'll get you started." The young woman got up from her seat at the reception desk and showed Rinoa to a pair of double doors beyond, pushing them open and escorting her through to what looked like a fairly standard salon. Another young woman, carrying what looked like a rolled up towel and another rolled bundle of cloth in a pretty green color, awaited them.

"Rinoa? This is Callie. She'll be your aesthetician today. Just follow her and she'll take care of you." The receptionist said, adding with a brilliant smile, "Have fun!"

"Thank you." Rinoa smiled, and the receptionist left Rinoa alone with the aesthetician.

The girl smiled at her and said, "Follow me, Miss Heartilly." She turned and led Rinoa further into the recesses of the spa, ushering her down a hallway floored in the same wool carpeting as the lobby.

As they walked, the girl asked her, "So, you're doing the mudbath and facial first, so you'll want to get undressed in one of our changing rooms here and put on this robe. When you're done I'll help you with the rest of it."

Rinoa frowned slightly and asked, "So, I'm just going to get naked and roll around in a vat of mud?"

The girl, Callie, laughed, "Yes, essentially. But it's actually a mineral clay solution. Very smooth, not gritty at all. It'll draw out any impurities in your skin, and it's got just enough grit to exfoliate and clarify it as well without irritation. Some of our clients will sit in the sauna for a bit to open up their pores before getting in the mudbath to sort of enhance the effect."

"Should I do that then?" Rinoa asked her.

Callie studied her for a moment before shaking her head. "No, I wouldn't recommend it in your case. Your skin is already quite lovely, and if you're not used to the heat, a sauna can actually be dangerous for you. You've just come in from Deling, right?"

"Yes." Rinoa answered.

"And it's still pretty cool there. So you don't need to do the sauna." She stated.

They reached an area that reminded Rinoa a bit of a locker room to a gym or public pool, though much, much cleaner and brighter. There were lockers set into one wall, all of them painted in a shade of red that reminded her of a fading sunset. The floors and bottom portion of the walls were all done in white ceramic tile, with whimsical patterns of flowers and sea creatures on the floors in a non-slip material to prevent injury.

Gesturing to the curtained alcoves along the other side of the room, Callie told her, "You can undress here, then place your clothing and other belongings into one of these lockers. The key is already in the lock, and there's a safety pin on the end so you can attach it to your robe. When you've done that, just go through those doors there and I'll meet you on the other side."

"Thank you," Rinoa smiled at her, and the girl smiled back and left through the doors she'd just indicated.


	4. Chapter 4

After Squall saw Rinoa off to her spa appointment, he stared bemusedly at the closed door, wondering what to do next. He had four hours to himself and for the first time, couldn't think of a damn thing to do. All he could think about was the pretty girl on the other side of the spa's door…. whose smile could melt a polar icecap.

_Stop it!_ He told himself severely. _She's not even interested, and even if she was, she's not your type, remember?_ He remembered all right. And he knew he was lying to himself. She _was_ his type.

She was also his client, and until she told him otherwise, he was simply helping her to enjoy her stay at the spa.

_So focus on that and forget about the other stuff._ He thought, starting back to his room. Right. Piece of cake.

As he walked, he did his best to think about some personal things that he should take care of as well. A load of laundry perhaps, maybe give Ellone a call to see how she was doing and apologize, again, for not being able to visit, make dinner reservations and make sure his suit was clean. Busywork, really. Anything to keep him occupied and distracted.

His phone started ringing when he got to his room and he answered it with a smile, knowing who it was already.

"Hi Sis. I was just thinking about calling you." He told her, opening the door.

She laughed, "sorry I beat you to it. How's work going?"

Closing the door behind him, he sank down onto his couch with a sigh, leaned back into the cushions and stared sightlessly at the ceiling as he answered, "Its work. Why do you ask?"

"No more Torama attacks I hope. That last one was scary." Ellone said, worry plain in her voice.

"No sis. And it wasn't that bad. I've got a good supply of healing potions here so there's really nothing to worry about." Squall reassured her.

"So, what are you doing now?" Ellone asked him.

"Well, right now, I think I'm going to wash a load of clothes, call in some reservations for dinner tonight…" he answered.

"You have a date?" Ellone asked him eagerly. Squall sighed.

"No Elle. A client." Squall answered her.

"Is she cute?" Ellone asked him hopefully. Squall frowned. The concept that Squall was selling his services part time as a concierge/lover was one that Ellone still seemed to have difficulty with. This despite the fact that she'd lived in Esthar for longer than Squall had.

In Esthar, prostitution was legal, so long as the practitioner was licensed, as Squall was. Moreover, there was no more stigma attached to _that_ profession than there was to an ordinary job digging ditches or shuffling paper. But Ellone still seemed hopeful that he'd find something lasting with one of his clients, despite his efforts to explain…. _delicately_ … how the job actually worked.

A whore doesn't fall in love with the person who's paying for their company.

It seemed that Ellone's Galbadian upbringing still held sway despite having lived in Esthar for nearly ten years.

Finally Squall answered, "It doesn't matter Elle, she's not here for that anyway. She just wants to do the spa thing and relax."

"Oh," She said, sounding disappointed. "Well, when _are_ you going to go on an actual date? Don't you want to find someone special?"

Squall sighed in exasperation, pinching the bridge of his nose between his eyes, "Sis…Elle…"

"I know you get lonely Squall. You can't convince me that you don't. And… I can't be _everything_ for you brother. That's not how it works. I love you and I want you to be happy…"Ellone told him.

"I _am_ happy. Happy that I found you after searching for Gods know how long, and happy that it just happened to be when you needed most the help that I was in a position to provide to you. Most of all, I'm happy that you're feeling better." Squall said.

"You know that's not what I'm talking about." Ellone replied.

Squall's reply was another wordless sigh of exasperation. They'd been separated for years, ever since Squall was a small boy. He still didn't know exactly what had driven them apart, if Ellone had been adopted or what had happened. All he knew was that she was his Sis, and he needed to find her. It didn't matter that she didn't actually share his blood; he knew and loved her as his sister. When he finally made SeeD at seventeen, he started looking for her.

When he'd found her, it was through blind luck. Luck that he wasn't about to question, for it had allowed him to help her to get the treatment for her illness that she couldn't afford on her own.

So much time had passed though, and so many other concerns had piled on, that the needed re-establishment of their relationship had taken a back seat to the more immediate concern of helping Ellone to get well. Now that she was feeling better, the real work had begun.

And while Squall loved her deeply, his memories of Ellone were those of a small child. It made it difficult to reconcile them with the Ellone he now knew as an adult. Of course, that didn't mean that he wasn't willing to _try_ , but things like this had always been difficult for him.

But it was comforting to know that some things about Ellone had never changed, the main thing being her motherly concern for him.

Even when it irritated and exasperated him, Squall knew that it came from a loving place, and it had gone a long way toward warming his formerly cold heart.

Much as he loved Ellone however, the conversation had gone in a direction he wasn't very comfortable with, so he sought to redirect it by asking her a question.

"When's your next appointment?"

"Wednesday, three o'clock. Why?" She asked in turn.

"I'd like to be there." He answered her.

"Squall, it's just a three-month checkup and scan. You don't _have_ to be there," she protested.

"I _want_ to be there. I want to know you're still in the clear." Squall told her.

"Well, certainly you're welcome. I'm sure the nurses would be happy to see you as well." Ellone said, amusement coloring her tone.

Squall's response was another sigh, which prompted Ellone to giggle, "I know. I'll stop now. I'd better let you go. I know you have things to do."

"Yeah, I do. I'll see you on Wednesday." Squall responded.

"Love you brother. Talk to you then." Ellone told him warmly.

"I love you too Sis." He smiled slightly, disconnecting the call.

Then he sat quietly on his couch for a moment, thinking about the call, and feeling warmed by it, despite his exasperation at Ellone's interest in his love life. It felt good however, to have his Sis back in his life again and to be in a position to help her.

Yes, her medical expenses had set him back quite a bit in his financial goals, but he was still young enough and strong enough to earn it back. Who needed to retire at twenty-five or thirty anyway? What would he do with all that extra time on his hands?

_Buy that island you've been looking at, off the coast of Galbadia, that's what. Clear out the monsters infesting it, build yourself a house…_ he mused…but didn't take it any further than that. It was something he'd considered on more than one occasion, but he'd set it aside for the time being while helping Ellone.

Sighing, he got up and collected his clothes hamper and detergent, decided that his best suit was in fact clean, and called in dinner reservations for seven thirty that evening. Then he left to do his laundry.

* * *

Rinoa was thoroughly enjoying her spa day so far. The mudbath had been kind of odd and disconcerting at first, but the mud hadn't been cold, and had been the silky consistency of fine clay. And she _did_ notice a difference in the way her skin felt once it had been hosed off of her.

Once she was clean, a young woman with surprisingly strong hands had rubbed sweet, aromatic oil all over her body, warming and soothing the ache from Rinoa's overworked muscles and transporting her into a state of bliss.

From there, she had been led into the salon in her green robe, and was currently enjoying both a manicure and a pedicure.

"What color would you like on your nails?" the aesthetician asked her.

Rinoa studied the colors available and decided on a pale, almost neutral, opalescent blush pink.

"That one," she answered, indicating the color she liked.

"Sand Rose." The aesthetician said, picking it up. "Very nice color. Did you want it on your toes as well?"

Rinoa considered that, and then answered, "Yes."

As she bent to her task, the aesthetician asked her, "So, how are you enjoying your visit so far?"

"It wasn't quite what I expected, but in spite of that, I'm enjoying myself. I've never gone to a spa before. Not one like this at any rate." Rinoa answered her.

"Really? Did you book a concierge for your visit?" the girl asked her.

"Yes. Well, I didn't, my friends did. They got this spa package for me as a birthday gift." Rinoa answered, cheeks turning pink.

The girl laughed, "Good friends! Who did they get as your concierge then?"

"Well, I'd mentioned that I wanted to learn self defense, so they booked me with Squall." Rinoa answered.

The girl smiled at her, eyes sparkling and commented, "He's an interesting guy. Not what you'd expect, and not real talkative, but none of his clients have complained. In fact," she paused, bending closer and continuing in a conspiratorial voice, "from what _I_ hear, he's quite…. _impressive_." Finished with painting the lacquer onto Rinoa's fingernails, the girl started on her toenails. Rinoa swallowed, wondering what the girl meant by that.

"He's a very good instructor," Rinoa started lamely, pausing when the girl laughed at her remark. Rinoa blushed fiercely when she finally caught on to the joke.

"I've heard that too," the aesthetician remarked with a wink. Then she asked, "Do you have any plans later with him?"

Rinoa's cheeks warmed from pink to red again as she answered, "Just dinner."

Seeing Rinoa's discomfort, the girl backed off and simply said, "I see. Well, let's see the nails again." Rinoa put her hands out, and the girl nodded.

"Okay, come over here, put your hands here and feet there and wait a few minutes for the lacquer to dry. When that's done, we'll get you started on the waxing." The aesthetician said, directing Rinoa to place both her hands and feet into a special contrivance that had UV lights set up to help speed the drying process of the polish.

"What did you want done, as far as the waxing goes?" The aesthetician asked.

Rinoa thought about that, then shrugged, "Legs I guess, and underarms…does it hurt?"

"Just a little sting at first but it goes away quickly. And it takes a long time for the hair to grow back so you'll be silky smooth for over a month." Then the girl tilted her head, studying Rinoa closely, adding, "You may want to consider getting your brows shaped as well."

"Okay." Rinoa nodded.

Then the girl asked, "what about your bikini area?"

Rinoa blinked, caught off guard by the question, and stammered, "my…. my what?"

"Your bikini area. Did you want to just trim around the edges, leave it alone entirely or have it bare? Some guys like it bare, some women do too, but none of Squall's clients have mentioned him having any preference with regard to that." The aesthetician clarified.

Rinoa simply stared at her. Was the young lady really asking her what she thought? The mere idea of putting hot (okay, warmed) wax on such a sensitive area and ripping the hair out by the roots made her cringe. Even around the edges, much less right _on_ ….

_BARE? Some men like it BARE? As in completely hairless? And why would Squall's preference have anything to do with…oh._ Rinoa thought wildly, cheeks flaming red.

"If it makes it easier, it's not much different from shaving," the girl added.

"Except for the fact that you're pulling the hair out by the roots," Rinoa said faintly.

"Well, we can leave that alone if you'd prefer." The aesthetician said.

Rinoa considered that. She usually shaved to keep things under control, and mainly so as to avoid undue embarrassment when wearing a swimsuit. Viewed in that light, a little "hedge-trimming" might not go amiss. She only hoped it didn't hurt too much.

"Um," she said, biting her lip. "I guess just around the edges."

"Okay," the girl nodded. "Don't worry, we rub on a topical analgesic afterward, so it shouldn't be too painful."

Rinoa nodded, trying to ignore the fluttering in her stomach at the thought. She could do this. Really.

But she refused to think about _why_ she was even consenting to do it in the first place.

Still, her apprehensions threatened to overwhelm her. By the time the nail lacquer was dry and the aesthetician, Callie, had started preparations for the waxing, Rinoa had worked herself into a state of near panic. Fortunately, the aesthetician was able to calm her down so that they could proceed.

Laying Rinoa back onto the table, the girl asked her, "how do you want your brows shaped?"

Taking a calming breath and reminding herself that it shouldn't hurt any more than tweezing did, Rinoa answered, "nothing too extreme. I usually just pick off the stray hairs and leave them as natural as possible."

"Natural then?" Callie asked her. Rinoa nodded.

"All right. Close your eyes."

Rinoa did as directed and felt the girl rubbing something into the area around her eyebrows. Then something was placed over her eyebrows and something warm, probably the wax, was applied around the edges. Before she could even register the warmth of the wax or the sensation of it sitting on her skin, it was removed, leaving behind a quick sting as it pulled the hairs out with it. Then she felt the aesthetician's finger placing pressure on the areas where the wax had been, lessening the lingering ache, before applying something that banished it entirely.

Rinoa opened her eyes and sighed in relief, "Well, that wasn't terrible."

"No, and it shouldn't be too bad on the underarms or legs either. Are you ready?" the girl asked. Rinoa nodded.

"Good. I'll need you to come out of the robe, at least on the top half, to do your underarms." Callie instructed her. When Rinoa did as requested, the girl added, "Now raise your arms above your head. Good."

Warm wax was applied, a cloth was pressed over it, then it was quickly pulled off. Rinoa's eyes watered at the sting, but the analgesic lotion that was used quickly calmed it. The process was repeated on the other arm and both legs. It wasn't what Rinoa would call _fun_ ; in fact it _was_ rather painful. But Callie was quick and competent at what she was doing, so the pain only lasted for brief moments before it was soothed away.

And the results, at least on the legs, were amazing. Rinoa ran her hand down her thigh and over her knee, marveling at the silky smooth, almost velvety softness of her skin. The mud, the waxing and all the lotions and things that had been rubbed into it virtually guaranteed that her skin would be at its best, and Rinoa couldn't help thinking of Squall's large hands touching her, and wondering what he'd think of how her skin felt.

Her mouth went dry as her imagination further embellished her fantasy. His hands would _have_ to be warm; his touch firm but gentle, his lips soft…

"Rinoa? Are you ready for the bikini line?"

Callie's inquiry brought Rinoa out of her erotic daydream and she swallowed, managing to answer, "Yes."

* * *

Six P.M. Squall checked his watch, thinking that Rinoa should just about be done with her spa visit. It would take her a few minutes to walk back to his room, and Squall decided to use that time to get ready for dinner. It wouldn't take him long; he'd already showered and fortunately didn't usually have to shave but once a day. Still… he rubbed at his chin and cheeks, felt the slight prickle of stubble and decided another shave wouldn't hurt.

That small task was accomplished quickly and after wiping his face off, Squall ran a comb though his hair to order the unruly strands and then changed into his suit. Formal dress wasn't required for dinner in the restaurant, his regular suit would do. And no tie. He hated ties. Instead he opted to simply leave the collar open. It was more comfortable that way for him; at least he didn't feel as though he was being strangled.

He was just putting on the jacket when he heard the door open, indicating that Rinoa had returned. Checking his watch, he exited his bedroom and headed for his living room.

"Squall? I'm back," He heard her calling out as he approached. Then he stepped into the room and saw her…. and everything seemed to stop. His heart. His mind. Everything froze. He had to remind himself to breathe.

Squall had seen beautiful women before. Some of his clients, even those that had nearly twice his years in age, were stunning. They could afford to be. Designer clothes, personal style consultants, plastic surgery, personal trainers…. some of those women put a great deal of work into their appearance. And it showed.

Rinoa was different. He'd thought her beautiful without all the artifice. And now? Fresh from the spa and from everything that she'd had done? Squall could even list what it was; he'd set up the damned appointment, after all. She looked…beautiful wasn't the word. She transcended beauty the way an angel transcended mortal man.

And yet, she still looked like herself. Whatever artifice employed was minimal at best, and done only to enhance her natural beauty. Her skin was fresh and radiant, her hair dark and gleaming. Golden caramel highlights had been added, he noticed, to add warmth and to draw the eye to her lovely face. Her eyes sparkled, and her rose -petal lips…. They looked soft, slightly moist, and…

Dear Gods in heaven; suddenly, he wanted to kiss her…badly.

Rinoa seemed similarly affected, for she appeared frozen for a moment as well, staring at him. The silence stretched as Squall struggled valiantly to gather his scattered wits and say something. Anything.

"Hi." He managed. Brilliant.

That seemed to amuse Rinoa. Even as a rosy blush colored her cheeks at his intense regard, her lips stretched into a sweet, angelic smile. Yep. The polar icecaps were definitely in trouble.

Finally finding her voice, Rinoa asked, "Um… are we… are we still going to dinner?"

Her inquiry finally kick-started his brain and Squall swallowed, cleared his throat, and finally answered her, "yes. Dinner. Right." _Come on idiot! Snap out of it!_ He castigated himself.

When he made no move toward the door, Rinoa finally asked, "Uhm…when?"

Squall blinked at her reminder and glanced down at his watch, registering the time as six forty-five. How long had he stood there stupidly staring at her?

"Now. Actually. I made reservations for seven-thirty." Squall answered her, finally succeeding in regaining at least a modicum of his composure.

He approached her and held his arm out, inviting her, "Let's go."

She slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow, charmed by such an old fashioned gesture. His reaction to her had left her both puzzled and secretly gratified. She'd thought that she wasn't his type. That he wouldn't find her attractive.

When she'd voiced this concern to the aesthetician, Callie, the girl had assured her, "Trust me. He's male, straight, and has a pulse; he'll find you irresistible when we're done."

It had surprised Rinoa to learn that her spa appointment included a style consultation. Or that she could opt to either rent or buy any number of truly wonderful designer dresses for her evening out. She had decided, at Callie's suggestion, on a champagne colored halter dress that to Rinoa at least, appeared to be scandalously short. Then the girl had proceeded with fixing Rinoa's hair and applying makeup.

Apparently, the girl knew what she was doing, judging by Squall's stunned reaction to her.

Of course, Rinoa had experienced a similar case of brain lock at _Squall's_ appearance. He'd looked mouthwateringly attractive at her first sight of him in just his pajama pants, and seemed to look better and better each time she saw him. His hair had been combed into a semblance of order, though his forelock stubbornly resisted it and flopped into his eyes. His charcoal gray suit was tailored to his lean frame and gave him an air of elegance, while the opened collar of his snowy white shirt, offering a glimpse of his silver chain, added a healthy dose of sex appeal.

More than enough, certainly, to make her revisit the urge to throw caution to the winds.

She couldn't help but notice his solid strength, his warmth, and the subtle scent of musk and spice he wore as he escorted her to the resort's restaurant. Her heart was pounding so hard at the thoughts, the delicious, erotic thoughts, that she was entertaining, that she was surprised that Squall couldn't hear it. It was quite unlike her to be this overwhelmed by her own hormones and it worried her a bit.

Then a wicked thought intruded into her mind: _Nobody has to know what goes on here but us. Not Selphie, not Quistis, and certainly not my father._

There was even a slogan about it, something cooked up by the Esthar City's chamber of commerce. She and Allyn had laughed about it while planning their honeymoon: "What happens in Esthar, STAYS in Esthar."

Maybe it was time that she moved on not only from Allyn's loss, but from her previous self as well.

It was odd; Rinoa now recognized that both she and her concierge/escort/potential lover for the weekend were caught in the throes of a mutual attraction so strong that it left them speechless. She would have laughed at the absurdity of it, but she was still trying to wrap her mind around what she was contemplating…and seesawing between giddy nervousness and heart-pounding lust. So they simply walked together in silence toward the restaurant, both wrapped in their own thoughts and yet keenly aware of the other's presence. It had the potential to be awkward, and perhaps just started edging toward it, but was saved from being uncomfortable by the fact that Squall lived in that silence and was at ease within it.

A glance at his calm expression, a return glance from him showing warmth that hadn't been there before, eased her apprehensions. Obviously, Squall was far more adept with non-verbal communication. Rinoa's mind stopped just short of following that thread to its conclusion of just what _other_ kinds of non-verbal communications he might excel at.

It wouldn't be hard for her to find out. All she had to do was ask him.

So focused was she upon what she was sensing from Squall, that she was unaware of the passage of time and so was surprised when they arrived at the restaurant and were informed that they were several minutes early.

"Would you like to wait in the bar while we prepare your table Mr. Leonhart?" The host asked.

After glancing down at Rinoa and seeing her nod in acceptance, he answered, "Yes."

They followed the host to the bar, with Squall asking as he seated her at a table, "What would you like to drink?"

"A glass of wine would be nice," Rinoa answered, suddenly feeling the need for something to calm and steady her.

"All right. Any preference?" He asked her.

Rinoa shook her head, "Not really. Whatever's good." Squall nodded and went to the bartender to place their orders. He returned moments later with a glass in each hand, handing one to her while retaining the second and taking the seat opposite her.

Rinoa smiled at him, "Thank you." Then she brought the glass to her lips and inhaled the bouquet deeply, closing her eyes at the heady perfume. Then she took a sip and almost moaned at the sheer sensuality of the wine's flavor. It warmed her all the way to her core and she immediately began to relax.

"Oh…" She sighed. "This is _nice_!" She opened her eyes to see him watching her, his eyes sparkling brilliantly and giving away his amusement at her response as he sipped at his own wine.

Finally he said, "Red Moon. Special Reserve from Northwest Vineyards. Year of the Lunar Cry."

Rinoa gasped. "But that's…" Words failed her. The last Lunar Cry was nearly two hundred years ago. Only one vineyard had escaped the devastation enough to make a pressing that year. Only one. And that vintage was now so rare and highly sought after that Rinoa shuddered at the thought of what just this one glass might have cost.

"A once in a lifetime experience." Squall finished for her, taking another slow sip, savoring the scent and flavor of the wine.

"But… Why did you order this?" Rinoa asked him. A wine like this almost required an event of epic proportions to justify drinking it. She couldn't help thinking it a bit over the top for a simple weekend fling.

"Thought you might like it." he answered with an offhand shrug.

Rinoa shook her head, "This is too much! I mean, this has to cost a mint, just for one glass!"

Squall raised an eyebrow then and replied, "You only live once. I personally have wanted to try this particular wine for a very long time but the steward here hadn't been able to track down a bottle until just recently."

"Oh. I see. Thank you then." Rinoa said, then she took another sip, unable to resist another taste of the wine. It had obviously been stored properly; not having lost any of its flavor and aroma, despite the time that had passed. Instead, it had mellowed into a rich blend of berries and tannins, with the darker notes given by the oaken barrels wherein it had aged. The bouquet was a sensual blend of fruit and flowers, the perfume almost as intoxicating at the wine itself.

"You're very welcome." Squall replied with a slight nod.

Yes, the wine had indeed been very expensive to order but the expense in this case was worth it on several levels. First, for its own sake, and Squall decided that flavor of the vintage was all that he'd heard about and more. Second, even if Rinoa hadn't told him anything about any specific fantasy that she may or may not have had, the fact remained that she was _there_. An elegant dinner with an equally elegant escort, including fine wine and gourmet food; even if she experienced these things on a regular basis, and something told Squall that she didn't, it was almost required that she experience them on this particular weekend with him.

And if she was wanting him to play the role of seducer to her shy ingénue, he was more than willing to go along with it, provided he was reading her body language correctly. Of course, he would ask to clarify what it was she wanted before he took things too far.

The host came soon after that and informed them that their table was ready and led them to it. Upon reaching it, Squall pulled a chair out for Rinoa and seated her, his gallantry bringing a rosy flush to her cheeks again. He was thankful for the walk they'd taken to get to the restaurant, for it had allowed him to reorder his mind and let calm rationality take control once again…at least enough for him to behave in a professional manner and not like a blithering idiot.

But that damned blush kicked him in the guts again with a hot rush of lust. No, Squall wasn't immune to her, not by a long shot.

As Squall seated himself, their waiter approached the table and asked, "What would you like to order this evening?"

Squall nodded toward Rinoa, encouraging her to order first, and she took another sip of that wonderful wine and asked, "What would you recommend?"

"The braised mesmerize medallions are particularly good. They're braised in a red wine and shallot reduction and come with a cucumber and mint salad. It pairs quite well with the house red." He answered.

"That sounds lovely," Rinoa said. The waiter nodded and made a notation on his pad, then turned to Squall.

"The same, if you will." Squall told him. The man nodded and left.

"This is wonderful," Rinoa sighed, gazing around at their elegant surroundings. "I'd always wanted to see Esthar. I never thought I'd be able to. Not after…." Her voice trailed off. To cover it, she drank the rest of her wine. No, she wouldn't mention Allyn. It would only make her sad and she didn't want that. Not tonight. Tonight she wanted to move on and enjoy the moment. She sent a silent apology to his spirit, hoping that he wouldn't feel she'd abandoned his memory, and focused again on her surroundings.

Watching her, Squall couldn't help but see the shadow that flitted across her expression, the sadness that had momentarily darkened her eyes before she'd diverted herself from it. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask her "after what?". But he didn't. It was obviously something that she did not want to think about, having turned away from speaking of it further. He could respect that. There were more than a few things that had happened in his life that _he_ didn't want to talk about either.

The sound of strings tuning up caught her attention and she smiled as she recognized the waltz music that they began playing. Immediately couples began to drift out onto the open space between the dining area of the restaurant and the opposite end where the musicians were playing.

Turning back to Squall, she opened her mouth to ask him if he'd like to dance with her when their dinners arrived. Diverted by that momentarily, Rinoa took a bite of the medallion and sighed, rolling her eyes in pleasure.

"Oh, that's heavenly. The house wine isn't bad either." She said, taking a sip. It was a good wine, but not as wonderful as the Red Moon.

"It is very good," He agreed, after sampling his own meal. "Are you enjoying yourself so far?" He asked her politely. He snorted inwardly at that. Not too long ago, he would have considered being polite a waste of time. And granted, for some people that he met, it still was. But for his clients, impeccable manners were a requirement. It certainly cost him very little, and repaid him a great deal.

"Oh, this is all just wonderful. Better than a dream, really. I certainly couldn't have cooked up a fantasy _this_ amazing if I'd tried." Rinoa said. "I mean, I got a glass of Red frickin' Moon! All those uppity wine snob colonels that my father consorts with would be green with envy if they knew."

"Well then, I'm glad I was able to share that with you," Squall said sincerely. Raising his glass slightly he said, "To the Red Moon then." Rinoa smiled and laughed softly, then touched her glass lightly against his.

"The Red Moon." She echoed him, taking another drink of her wine. She began to feel loose and relaxed, and slightly giddy as a result of the alcohol she'd ingested. She focused on her dinner for a bit, appreciating the subtleties of flavor that the chef had employed in its creation. He truly was world class.

She sighed as she sipped from her wineglass, her third, and simply gazed at Squall while she nibbled at the remains of her dinner. His attention was momentarily diverted from her, allowing her to simply stare at him. He held his wineglass gracefully in his long fingers, the warm golden lamplight of the restaurant gilding his coppery hair. He turned then and caught her looking, and raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

Smiling, she propped her chin on one hand and said, "You know, I'm acquainted with more than a few colonel's daughters that would be green with envy too, if they saw me here with you."

Squall smiled slightly at this, but was unsure how to respond, so he simply said, "Thank you." Then he asked, "Have you given any thought to what you'd like to do tomorrow?"

Rinoa shook her head and answered, "No. I'm still working on today." Their meals finished, the waiter came to take their plates away. Rinoa drained the wineglass she held and gave it to the waiter as well.

The musicians began playing "waltz for the moon", a popular waltz back in its day. As more and more couples moved out onto the dance floor, Rinoa decided that it must still be relevant.

Turning back to Squall after the waiter left, Rinoa asked, "Since today isn't over yet, and I'm not ready to plan anything for tomorrow, why don't we go and dance?"

Squall considered that, then nodded, "Okay." Standing up, he came around to her seat and reached his hand down to her. Taking the hint, Rinoa placed her hand in his and he drew her to her feet and led her to the dance floor.

As they walked Rinoa was keenly focused upon the feel of her hand in his. His hands were warm, just like she'd thought they'd be. And oddly, not soft but strong and callused, she discovered as they reached the dance floor and he turned her to face him. Lacing his fingers through hers, he slipped his other hand to the small of her back, making her shiver as he pulled her close.

And they danced. No, they floated. They flew. They soared like eagles. Squall's warmth surrounded and seeped into her, his scent was in her nostrils at every breath, a draft fully as enthralling as the wine. And perhaps she was more than enthralled; perhaps she was actually drunk. That was a good enough explanation for what she did next, because she was sure it was her imagination that told her that Squall was bending down to kiss her, prompting her to meet him halfway.

She threaded her fingers through his thick, silky hair, marveling that a man could have hair so fine, stretched up and pulled him to her, touching her lips to his. And yes, his lips were soft, his kiss flavored with the wine they'd both drunk. He pulled her close against him, his large, warm hand sliding up her back as he held her flush against his body and devoured her mouth. Making her senses swim as his tongue snuck in to slide over hers. Her eyes drifted shut and she gave herself up to it, surrendering to the feel, the taste, the texture, and to the clamoring need within her that demanded more.

Squall gave that to her and more. He hadn't imbibed enough wine for him to feel _this_ intoxicated; the scent of her hair, the fire in her kiss, the silken velvet of her skin as he ran his hand up her bare back…. _that_ was doing it. He was losing his mind over her. He'd known from the first moment he saw her, that there was no possible way he could be professional about this. About _her_. No way.

He found that he didn't care.

They came to themselves gradually… breathless, hearts pounding in sympathy with each other. Music still played in the background, dancers still swirled around them, but they simply stood still, locked in each other's arms, staring at each other. Wondering what to do next.

Slowly, Squall brought his hand up and caressed her cheek, brushing his thumb lightly over her bottom lip. Falling into her warm brown eyes. Just falling….

"Would you like to continue this somewhere more private?" He asked her softly. Hoping.

"Yes," she whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AUTHOR'S NOTE: FINALLY! Finally done with this chapter and on to the next...sorry i couldn't get this completed and posted yesterday but there were several extenuating circumstances...one being a road trip that i had to do thursday night.
> 
> *ducks a tuna* Hey! No fish-slapping! the chapter is DONE now!
> 
> anyway, enjoy it...and yes, I AM evil leaving this one where it is now... but don't worry, the next chapter will explore in detail what happens next. It's NOT what you think. That's all I'm going to say about it.


	5. Chapter 5

The trip back to the Squall's room…apartment…whatever it was… was a blur to Rinoa. She knew she'd probably had a little too much wine, though her mind still seemed clear enough and her steps were mostly steady. Mostly. She really couldn't tell if her weak-kneed gait, prompting her to lean into Squall for support, was due to the wine or to her own body's reactions to him.

She remembered getting into the elevator to ride up to his floor…and being pressed up against the wall as his lips assaulted hers again. She couldn't rightfully remember if he was the aggressor this time or if she was. She only remembered the way his kiss made her senses swim, the heat of his body as it pressed against her, the pounding ache deep inside of her that echoed her pounding heart.

It seemed that once she'd given consent, he abandoned his earlier aloof, detached attitude and became fiery and passionate. If he was this way with _all_ of his clients, it was no wonder that he'd had no complaints and had been described as "impressive".

She did feel a little thrill of apprehension however, despite her determination to go through with…. it. She kicked herself mentally. She wasn't a little girl anymore, she was a grown woman and she should act accordingly. She was resolved to take full advantage of her gift and sleep with…. Have _sex_ with… Squall.

The elevator dinged its arrival at their floor and they had to separate, both of them breathless and flushed, with Squall's hair attractively mussed by Rinoa's fingers and his shirt opened nearly to his navel. Rinoa's dress meanwhile had been hiked up nearly to her waist. If the ride had gone any longer….

Rinoa gulped and tugged the hem down, cheeks burning. Then she looked up to catch Squall watching her in warm amusement. She laughed breathlessly, nervously, then reached out and took his outstretched hand. It engulfed hers, warming it, gripping it firmly to draw her close to his side. Then his hand released hers and slid around her waist, with Squall pausing to press a soft kiss to her temple before leading them both out of the elevator and to his room.

Upon reaching his room and leading her inside, he locked the door, then pulled her into his arms, pressing her flush against him. Lightly trailing his lips up the side of her neck, briefly brushing his cheek against hers, he whispered into her ear, the puff of his breath making her shiver.

"How do you want to do this?" He asked her.

It took Rinoa a minute to register the question; she was too distracted by the feel of his hand on her backside, pressing her into his body, grinding her intimately, maddeningly into him. Making the throbbing ache at her core worse.

"I don't…" she managed, unable to fully articulate her response. She didn't know. She had no idea what he was referring to.

He was kissing her again, and asking between kisses, "Bed? Or couch?"

Oh. "Bed," she managed to whisper breathlessly.

"All right," He responded softly. "Come on."

He tangled his fingers with hers and led her to the bedroom. She followed with both anticipation and apprehension battling within her, butterflies fluttering in her stomach and tension warming her skin from the inside out. She tried to shove aside the small, panicked whispers that had sprung up in her mind, determined to see this through to its natural conclusion and finally, _finally_ see for herself what the big fuss over sex was all about.

Most importantly, she was going to do her best _not_ to look like an inexperienced ninny when they finally got down to business.

Her mind skidded to a halt when Squall resumed his assault on her senses, making her shiver by trailing feathery kisses up her neck, coming around behind her to lift her hair away from the back of her neck, kissing it and sending a frisson down her spine, making her gasp for air as he lightly trailed his fingertips up her arms and down her back as he drew down the zipper to her dress. She couldn't stop a quiet moan as he slid his warm hands under the bodice, helping to slide it down and off of her body before bringing them up to cup and caress her breasts. Her head fell back against his chest, offering him her neck, which he freely kissed and nibbled, making Rinoa's head swim with the sensations she was experiencing.

Then he came around to face her, forcing a gasping cry from her as he trailed light kisses down her neck and down her chest, finally reaching and engulfing one erect nipple. She speared her fingers through his hair, fighting for air, no longer able to think rationally at all, only feel and lose herself in what she felt.

She was only vaguely aware of his strong arms gently guiding her to the bed and laying her back upon it, of his nimble, sensitive fingers lightly trailing down her body and drawing off her panties. By that point, her entire body was an aching well of need clamoring to be filled. So she was a little disappointed when he drew away from her for a moment.

"I'll be right back," he whispered with a slight smile. "I need to catch up." It was only then that she realized that he'd been so busy with her that he hadn't even gotten his own clothing off and was still mostly dressed aside from his opened shirt.

So Rinoa simply lay lost in a languorous, sensuous haze, and watched as Squall removed first his jacket, then pulled his shirt out of his trousers, unbuttoned it the rest of the way and removed it as well, dropping both carelessly to the floor. Rinoa looked her fill at what he revealed as he undressed, knowing now how warm and firm his chest felt under her hands. Knowing how his skin smelled.

When he began to unbuckle his belt and undo his trousers, Rinoa's apprehensions sprang to life again, the butterflies returning with a vengeance. This was really going to happen. She was really going to _finally_ become a woman. Then Squall removed his pants and turned aside for a moment, retrieving something from his nightstand and giving Rinoa a full, unobstructed view of what nature had gifted him with.

Rinoa simply stared, trying valiantly to fight back a surge of panic. There was no way. She couldn't _possibly_ …. She'd thought the girl who'd described him as "impressive" had meant something else. He was… _it_ was….

"Oh my GOD! You're HUGE!" Rinoa exclaimed, the words slipping from her mouth before she could stop them.

Squall turned to face Rinoa with a frown that deepened when he saw her staring at him with wide, panicked eyes. _What the hell?_

"Um…what?" he asked, confused by her reaction. Certainly, it wasn't the response he _normally_ got... If his proportions engendered any comment at all, it was usually more positive than _this_.

"You're…I can't…it'll never…" she was whispering, shaking her head.

Squall simply stared, doing his best to ignore his aching arousal and think around the lust fogging his mind. Slowly he began to recall her reactions and responses to him, and things that had confused him from the beginning finally began to make sense. Her kisses had been…sweet but reticent; likewise with the way she touched him. Tentative, unsure, untutored… everything about her spoke of innocence, purity…

_It couldn't be…_

Spearing his hand through his hair, Squall took a deep breath and asked in a flat voice, "You've never done this before, have you?" Wordlessly, Rinoa shook her head, cheeks starting to redden from embarrassment. "At all?" Another head shake. _Shit!_

" _Then what the hell are you doing here?"_ He demanded, frustration making the question harsher than intended. Rinoa flinched as though slapped, tears starting to glimmer in her eyes. He dropped his hand, then folded his arms tightly across his chest and glared at her, frustration and anger turning to impatience tinged with guilt as he noticed her tears. Great. Now she was going to cry. _Dammit!_

"I…uh…" she began in a shaky voice. "It was a birthday gift. My friends gave it to me…"

"Nice friends," Squall said sarcastically. "This was a _gift_? Are you sure it wasn't a cruel joke?"

Rinoa shook her head, vigorously defending her friends, "They wouldn't have done this on purpose. I _know_ they wouldn't have. I don't think they knew…what this place was."

Squall sighed, suddenly feeling deflated. Well, mostly anyway. He still had a raging hard-on that wasn't going anywhere despite the dash of cold water Rinoa's reaction to him had provided.

"Ah, Hell." He groaned quietly, sitting heavily on the edge of the bed and dropping his head into his hands. Despite Rinoa's denial, Squall still thought the whole situation was a cruel joke; only _he_ was the butt of it, not Rinoa.

"I'm sorry," Rinoa said in a small voice, sniffling quietly. Squall didn't respond or turn to face her. What good would it do?

When he didn't respond she tried again in a thin whisper, "I… I really did …do…want to be with you but…when I saw…it…. I panicked. It's just so…"

Squall turned to look back at her, coolly stating, "IT is called a penis. If you're going to talk about it, at least use the correct terminology." He held her gaze for a moment, refusing to back down and sighing inwardly at her beautiful, nude body, remembering how velvety soft her skin was and how it smelled. Still thinking about the flavor of her kiss. He still wanted her, _ached_ for her, and even if she begged him to now, he wouldn't touch her. She sniffled softly and wiped away a stray tear, and Squall turned away.

He felt the bed shift as she approached him, felt her hands hesitantly touch him, caressing his back. Swallowing, he closed his eyes, willing her to stop. Even that light touch threatened to undo him completely. If he lost control, if he lost… he couldn't stop a quiet gasp as he felt her lips touching him lightly on the back of his neck, then beneath his ear, then his cheek.

_Please. Stop…_ it was on the tip of his tongue to say it, but his tongue was paralyzed.

"I…I still want to do this. With you. Please?" she whispered. Squall shuddered at the brush of her breath against his ear.

He was tempted. Gods, was he tempted. But, that first flash of fear in her eyes… no. He wasn't in the business of hurting people. Not anymore. Certainly not while doing his best to please his partner. Pain as pleasure, either giving or receiving, had never been his thing. And he'd never had sex with a virgin before. While he was fairly confident in his skills as a lover… none of his previous clients had ever complained at any rate; he felt completely inadequate in this case. Simply put, a woman's first sexual experience could color her perceptions about the act for the remainder of her life. It could either be a wonderful, beautiful memory, or a scarring ordeal.

No. It was not a responsibility he wanted to take on. _Nor was it an honor he felt worthy of._

Reaching up, he gently removed one of her hands from his shoulder, shrugging the other one off and shifting away from her. Then he stood up, walked over to his dresser and picked up his pajama pants.

"No." he said without looking at her, while every fiber of his being screamed at him that he was being a fool. Then he walked into the bathroom and firmly shut the door.

Rinoa stared after him, tears starting to trickle heedlessly down her face, the sting in her eyes echoing the sting of his rejection. Echoing the sting in her heart. He _had_ wanted her. Had apparently found her desirable enough to become aroused. No man could fake that. So why had he refused?

Rinoa curled in upon herself, moving back to the head of the bed, curling around the pillow and pulling the bedspread over herself, suddenly shamed by her nakedness. Was it because she'd acted like a scared ninny after all? Was it because he didn't want to bother with a little girl when he was used to more experienced women?

Burying her face into the pillow, Rinoa began to sob, suddenly overcome by humiliation as she recalled how she'd behaved…. And how she'd been rebuffed.

* * *

Squall turned and frowned at the closed bathroom door after hearing a muffled sound from the other side that sounded suspiciously like a sob. Laying his pants upon the counter next to the sink, he approached the shower and turned it on. After adjusting the temperature, he stepped under the spray, closing his eyes and bracing himself against the wall.

He was still aching, still aroused, and unfortunately saw only one means of relieving that situation. Not his preferred method of dealing with it, but better than the alternative of doing nothing and simply enduring the uncomfortable results while he waited for it to abate on its own.

Still, having to resort to manual stimulation when there was a beautiful woman in his bed felt like failure to him, despite the fact that _he_ had chosen to refuse her.

It wasn't difficult for him to achieve the release he craved however. All he had to do was to think about her pearl-white, luminous skin. Skin that felt like silken velvet and smelled like heaven. All he had to do was recall the softness of her lips and the way they tasted, the way the light caressed the curves of her body, the firm swell of her breasts, the dusky rose of her nipples, the dark triangle at the juncture of her thighs….

The hand he had braced against the wall curled into a fist as the tension drained out of him, leaving him gasping and weak-kneed in its wake. Tilting his face into the spray, he simply let the warm water sluice down his body, further relaxing him. He wanted to laugh at himself then, at the grand joke that fate had played on him.

Rinoa had seen his size and had panicked, but in truth, he wasn't exceedingly well endowed, at least as far as _he_ was aware. Oh, one or two of his clients had made similar, if somewhat more complimentary, observations, but at best he figured he might be just slightly larger than average; though he wasn't about to go running around with a ruler to confirm it.

Firmly abandoning that line of thought, Squall flipped the tap over to cold, gasping again and shuddering as he was doused in cold water, shocking him back to reality. Finally letting the head with the _brain_ in it take control again. After his mind had cleared he shut the water off and stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel to dry off. Once that had been accomplished, he pulled on his pajama bottoms and exited the bathroom.

Upon entering his bedroom, he cast a glance over to his bed and saw Rinoa huddled under his spread, with her face buried in his pillow. Her entire attitude spelled out dejection clearly. Squall frowned slightly at the sudden pang that struck in the vicinity of his heart. He didn't understand why she appeared to be so upset, or why the sight of her obvious unhappiness should affect him so. It didn't make any sense. _None_ of it did.

He swallowed, then turned to leave only to freeze when he heard Rinoa whisper, "Why?"

He turned back to meet reddened eyes in a flushed and tear-washed face. There were too many responses to that question.

_Because you were afraid. Because you'd been drinking and I can't be certain you're fully cognizant of what you're doing. Because your first time shouldn't be with someone like me…_

Finally he answered her, "You didn't come here for that."

"But I decided that I _wanted_ to make love with you…" She began but Squall cut her off curtly, "Love has nothing to do with this. _Nothing_."

Rinoa's trembling chin firmed and lifted, and her glimmering eyes flashed as she shot back, "Fine then. I wanted to have _sex_ with you. It was already paid for, so why not?"

Why not indeed? Too many reasons, some of which came down to Squall's own upbringing and the indelible mark left behind by it.

"Just because I'm paid for," Squall said coolly, "doesn't mean I'm obligated to do what you want. I have the right to refuse any hire, for any reason."

He turned to leave, but Rinoa stopped him again by demanding, "What was your reason then? Why did you refuse? You can't tell me you weren't interested, it was pretty fucking obvious that you were." Squall turned back to her and Rinoa swallowed down a sudden thrill of fear as she saw his eyes go flat, and hard, and cold.

"I don't do virgins." He answered her, the sound of winter in his voice. Then he turned and left.

Rinoa stared after him, confused, unfulfilled, frustrated and hurt. It wasn't her fault she was still a virgin at twenty-five. Given who her father was, it was almost a guarantee that she would be. Allyn at least had been understanding of the reasons and respectful of both her and her father's wishes to the end, delaying consummation of their relationship until they'd been properly married.

It was cruel, tragic fate that had robbed Rinoa of her wedding night with the man she'd loved. Upon learning of what Squall's job entailed and _after_ her initial panic attack over it, she'd actually been hopeful that she'd finally be able to experience what sex was all about, even if it _wasn't_ with the man she loved. How ironic was it that she'd not only been thrown together with a whore, but one with a conscience to boot? It defied logic.

It also served to add another facet to Squall Leonhart's increasingly complex character, deepening the mystery surrounding him. The only thing that Rinoa had learned so far was the fact that _nothing_ about the man was anything close to typical, or average, or _normal_ , for that matter.

Rinoa's cheeks heated as she remembered her first sight of him gloriously nude and impressively aroused. No. _Definitely_ not average. At all. Then she kicked herself mentally. Given her limited experience, how the hell would she even know? He might be completely in the middle or even smaller than average and she'd never know it. Maybe she was making a…. _ahem_ ….mountain out of a mole hill?

No, she didn't think so. She and Allyn may not have had sexual intercourse, but Rinoa wasn't _completely_ innocent either. They'd enjoyed each other in other ways, and she'd seen him naked and aroused on more than one occasion (though, truthfully, those occasions could easily be counted on one hand). _He_ certainly hadn't intimidated her the way Squall had.

But now she was unsure of what to do; on the one hand, she wanted Squall still. She positively ached for him to complete what they'd started together in fact. On the other hand, fear still held her back. Everything she'd ever heard or read of regarding one's first initiation into sexual activity agreed that for a girl at least, the first time usually hurt. How _much_ it hurt varied too widely to be quantified, but given what Squall had to work with, chances were good that it would hurt _a lot_. It was _that_ fear that held her back; and Rinoa suddenly realized that Squall had _seen_ that fear.

No wonder he'd backed away and refused to continue. Even though she'd verbally consented to the activity, for him to proceed at that point would have been tantamount to rape. Rinoa wondered if that was part of the rules governing his job or if that was a personal decision on his part. Perhaps it was both.

Maybe tomorrow she could convince him to give it another try. He was a professional at this, which implied a certain level of skill; Rinoa was positive that he could help her get past the initial discomfort to find the pleasure that would surely follow. It was beyond ironic to think that she might actually have to seduce _him_ when the opposite was ordinarily the case.

Rinoa suddenly yawned, the alcohol she'd ingested finally overriding her rampant hormones and making her sleepy. Crawling out of the bed, she crossed the room to the light switch, intending to turn off the light and go to bed. As she did, she saw the clothing that Squall had discarded still lying upon the floor. Without even thinking, she picked up his shirt and brought it to her face, closing her eyes and breathing in his scent. Then she put it on, sighing as the fine cotton caressed her skin as gently as Squall's hands had, buttoning it up and rolling up the sleeves.

Continuing to the door and the light switch next to it, Rinoa turned it off, then headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth and get ready for bed. Her final toilette for the day completed, she returned to the bed and sighed, closing her eyes again. Wrapped in Squall's shirt and his scent, Rinoa quickly fell asleep.

* * *

Squall leaned against the stone balustrade that framed his balcony, nearly full bottle of beer dangling from his fingers. He'd already had two glasses of wine, and honestly, wasn't much interested in the beer at this point. But he wasn't even close to relaxed enough to sleep, despite the alcohol he'd already consumed still floating in his bloodstream.

The breeze picked up as the night cooled, the sun having just set. A faint red glow, fading to purple, was all that remained of the sunset. It was a shame, really, that Rinoa had missed it. Sunsets in Esthar, particularly on the northern coast, were spectacular. He'd make it a point to show her tomorrow evening, he decided, and then frowned at that thought and what it could mean.

The air of the evening, perfumed by night blooming jasmine and roses, combed through his hair, caressing his skin softly with cool fingers. Its touch was as light and ethereal as Rinoa's had been. He could still feel her hands on him, the fingers trailing lightly up his back, over his shoulders and down his arms. He could still feel her body pressing against him as she whispered that she still wanted him, despite the fear he could hear trembling in her voice.

_STOP!_ He told himself, shaking his head violently. Lifting the bottle, he took a long swallow of his beer and focused his attention toward the ocean. He listened instead to the cries of the birds as they faded into the night and the endless whisper of the surf. He tried to let that peace invade his being and forced himself to concentrate on that instead of thinking about…her.

It didn't work. Just as he'd feared, she'd gotten under his skin, and he didn't know what to do from there. Well, sex was off the menu that was for sure. He did his best to ignore the whisper in the back of his mind that told him that he _did_ have the skill to bring Rinoa through pain to ecstasy if she _truly_ wanted him to be the one to take her there. Maybe he did. And maybe she'd wake up in the morning and realize what a colossal mistake she'd nearly made and be relieved that he'd backed off. Maybe. She wouldn't be staying long in either case. He only had to get through tomorrow and then she'd be leaving early the next day.

Then he could work on forgetting her.

He sighed and glanced down at his beer, the bottle still half-full. Pushing away from the balustrade, he went back into his apartment and went to the kitchen, dumping the remainder of the beer into the sink before pitching the bottle. Then he padded silently toward his bedroom, entering and crossing it to the bathroom, firmly avoiding glancing toward the bed where Rinoa lay sleeping.

Entering the bathroom he took care of what he needed to, washed his hands and brushed his teeth. That task done, he quietly exited and went back to the living room and his couch. But he _still_ couldn't sleep.

After lying on his back and staring at the ceiling for several minutes, Squall got up with an exasperated growl and got out his laptop. Maybe reviewing his financials and reading through his email would be mind-numbing enough to finally allow him to sleep.

He glanced down at his watch, noting that the stock exchange in Deling City had just opened up. He signed in and found that a couple of key investments had undergone a big jump over the previous day's activity. Large enough that that if he sold off the stock now, he'd have his goals met and then some. He thought about that for a moment, knowing that a big bounce could either signal an upward trend or an equally big dip the next day.

Some of his other investments were trending upward too, but at a slower rate. He left the slower maturing stocks alone, and decided to sell the ones that had made such a high jump, rolling the resulting proceeds into his retirement account. He sighed in satisfaction at the ending balance. Any proceeds from his employment or investments from this point forward could be used for his more immediate goals. His retirement funds were back on track and when he did finally, _truly_ retire, would be more than enough for him to live comfortably.

If his other holdings performed even half as well, he'd be able to buy his island after all. Maybe he'd take up sailing or surfing. Or maybe fishing.

Logging off of his investment tracker, he checked through his email, answering one sent by Ellone, smiling while reading her note. She'd be happy to know that he'd met his goals and his financial concerns were finally resolved. He debated adding that to the email he was sending her, then decided to tell her in person when he went with her to her appointment in a few days.

He yawned suddenly, rubbing at his eyes. Sure enough, working on the computer was enough to finally settle him down so he could sleep. But there was one last thing he needed to do before he logged off and finally went to bed.

He gazed thoughtfully at his closed bedroom door, behind which Rinoa lay sleeping. Then he logged into his personal checking account. It took only seconds to do what he wanted, no _needed_ to do, and he felt much better as a result. Logging off, he shut down his laptop and finally went to sleep.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AUTHOR'S NOTE: ummm...Yeah. I've written five chapters of a story set in a brothel, where NO SEX has actually taken place as yet (unless you count self-gratification...). Irony? You bet. Is it intended? So far it is. In spite of this, i think this chapter was sufficiently steamy to hold interest.
> 
> Am I wrong?
> 
> Don't worry, there's more yet to come, and YES, sex WILL happen at some point. They just have to work up to it, and some other things need to happen first. Be patient, and I'll try to make sure the coming chapters continue to be interesting.


	6. Chapter 6

Coffee. She smelled coffee. Rinoa took a deep breath and inhaled the rich fragrance wafting in from the kitchen. She shifted and yawned, then winced at the slight headache she had. Yeah, she'd had a little too much wine the previous night. Enough to give her a headache at any rate.

She stretched, then threw off the bedspread and sat up. Then she frowned down at the white shirt she was wearing in confusion for a moment, until a whiff of scent from its previous wearer wafted up and awakened Rinoa's memory. She may have been more than slightly drunk the night before, but she wasn't so drunk that she'd forget what had happened.

She'd never be that drunk.

Her mind didn't work that way. It never had. She'd partied with Selphie and Quistis on more than one occasion and had gotten falling down, puking drunk. She didn't do that _often_ , but it had happened a time or two before. But no matter how drunk she'd gotten, she never forgot what had happened, or what she did. Never. Quite simply, she was never subject to alcohol-induced blackouts. She always remembered.

It got to the point that Selphie and Quistis would ask her what they'd done if she happened to have gone out drinking with them.

So, she remembered dancing with her dashing escort. She remembered kissing him, and coming achingly close to doing more before her girlish panic brought it all to a halt. She didn't know whether to be frustrated or grateful that the man had an unexpected streak of decency that had prompted him to back off.

Or perhaps it wasn't decency so much as a desire to avoid bedding a young woman too inexperienced to be…pleasurable.

" _I don't do virgins."_ He'd stated coldly.

Rinoa thought she knew why. How would he make pleasant an experience that could potentially be very painful at the outset? Perhaps he didn't feel up to the challenge. Perhaps he simply didn't want to bother with the inevitable histrionics during and after the act.

Yawning, Rinoa followed the smell of coffee into the kitchen, blinking in the bright morning light filtering through the translucent draperies covering the patio doors. It bathed the room in golden light; lending warmth to the cool, blue painted cupboards and green counter top. The clear, pure light of morning also illuminated the absolutely delicious looking man who stood in front of the counter, sipping at a cup of coffee.

Rinoa simply had to stare. He was just too beautiful to be real; scarred, stubbly face, untidy hair, scandalously low-riding sleep pants and all. She didn't see the scars. Not the one on his face, or the ones on his body. She only saw the way the light traced the contours of his chest and abdominal muscles, and threw out sparks of gold and copper in his hair. Not just the hair on his head either; Rinoa couldn't help but notice the sparkling copper trail on his lower belly that led to the waistband of his pants.

She suddenly wished she had a camera. Failing that however, a mental snapshot would have to suffice.

He caught her staring of course, and amusement lit his aquamarine eyes and softened his lips as he greeted her, "Good morning."

"Coffee." Was all Rinoa could manage to say. A slight smile quirked his lips as he nodded toward his coffeemaker, silently inviting her to help herself.

As she walked past him into the kitchen, he found it difficult himself not to stare at her as she'd stared at him. The sight of her walking toward his kitchen, yawning and rubbing at her eyes, inky hair sexily tangled from sleep, and wearing his shirt to boot, was just too damn adorable to ignore. Gods, he wanted to kiss her silly and drag her back into the bedroom to finish what they'd started the previous night.

He let out a breath and took a healthy sip of his coffee to try and get hold of himself, quite forgetting that it was still hot. Very, _very_ hot.

_SHIT! Shitshitshit!_ Squall squeezed his eyes shut briefly and fought the urge to spit out the scalding liquid, manfully swallowing it instead and feeling it burn all the way down to his stomach. Grimacing, he took a deep breath and wondered if he should drink a glass of cold water to ease the burning that he could still feel in his mouth and throat.

Rinoa meanwhile had managed to find a coffee mug and was now happily sighing, "Mmmm…. I love this coffee. It smells _so_ good. You have to tell me where you get it. And that little red coffeemaker of yours is _just_ adorable." Then she sighed again, "I do wish you had some cream though. I realize you like yours black but…"

Squall swallowed, cleared his throat and managed _not_ to croak, "there's some in the fridge. I stashed the cream from yesterday's breakfast in there before we left."

"Oh! Thank you! I thought it had gone back with the room service guys," Rinoa smiled brilliantly at him and turned toward the refrigerator, opening it and bending down slightly to peer inside, looking for the cream.

The shirt she was wearing, _his_ shirt, was just large enough to cover her decently when she was standing up straight. But only just. Bending down even a little was more than enough to hike up the hem and offer a glimpse of what it barely covered. That glimpse gave Squall a sudden, vivid fantasy of taking her right then and there in his kitchen. He forcibly tore his gaze away and shook his head violently to rid it of the image, but it had been seared into his brain.

_Holy Hyne on a cracker! Get a grip man!_ He took a deep, slow breath and let it out, willing his racing heart to calm, willing the tension tightening his gut and groin to relax. This was neither the time nor the place for that. For some women that might have been a turn-on, but even if Rinoa were willing, Squall wouldn't ravish her in his _kitchen_. He wouldn't _ravish_ her at all.

Besides, she was awake now and sober. It was quite likely that she had been relieved that he'd held off and left her virtue intact.

"Ah…" Rinoa said after taking a sip of her coffee. "That's _much_ better. Your coffee _is_ excellent, but I much prefer it with cream and sugar."

"What…." Squall began, then cleared his throat and continued, "Uh, what do you want for breakfast?" He asked, bringing his coffee cup up in preparation for another sip, then pausing and setting it down on the counter with a sigh. It was still too hot and his mouth and throat were still burned.

"Oh, same as yesterday. That was good. Just the eggs and fruit." Rinoa answered, and then asked him, "Are we doing another self-defense class today?"

"Yes. Whenever you're ready. After we're done the rest of the day is yours." Squall answered her, then suggested, "if you like, you can go ahead and shower and get ready now and I'll order breakfast."

"Okay," Rinoa said, drinking the last of her coffee and setting the cup in the sink.

* * *

Breakfast was ready when Rinoa completed her shower and joined Squall out on the balcony. As with the previous day, it was accomplished mostly in silence. The only difference that Rinoa could see was the notable absence of his laptop; that, and the fact that he was no longer drinking his coffee. Instead he sipped at a glass of ice water while he ate.

When he'd finished, he quietly excused himself to go get ready, saying, "I'm going to head down to the gym in a few minutes but you don't have to be there for another hour and a half so if you want to just relax or something, that's fine. I'll be there waiting for you when you're ready. If there's anything that you want to do afterward, just let me know."

"Okay," Rinoa acknowledged, watching him disappear into his bedroom and sighing at the sight.

He left moments later dressed in his workout garb and with his gym bag slung over his shoulder. Rinoa sketched a wave at him as he left, but his face had been turned away so he didn't see it. She sighed, feeling the emptiness of the place crash in on her after he exited.

There were so many things she'd wanted to talk to him about, and she just couldn't seem to get it out. They'd both been polite and pleasant with each other that morning, but the elephant in the room had been thoroughly ignored.

The attraction was still there, simmering beneath the surface between the both of them. Squall may coldly state that he didn't do virgins, but that didn't change the fact that he'd wanted her last night, and all indications were that he wanted her still. She was neither so innocent nor so blind that she hadn't seen it plainly that morning. Rinoa too was caught up in it, and despite what Squall might _think_ , was more than willing to take _him_ as her first lover, even if it was only for _one_ night.

She knew that the likelihood of anything more than that coming of their liaison was slim to none; one doesn't fall in love in just one weekend. Perhaps it was for the best. She'd have a pleasant memory of a gorgeous, dashing escort, a skilled lover that could gently usher her into womanhood, and she would no longer have to worry about being a virgin any longer. It would no longer be an issue in any of her future relationships.

Despite being a virgin she was not so naïve as to think that sex, even _great_ sex, equaled love. Perhaps that was at the root of Squall's hesitation. If so, she would have to reassure him that she expected nothing more than what he was willing to give her. She wasn't going to go expecting roses and promises of forever afterward. The difficult part would be in convincing _him_ of that.

* * *

Squall slammed his fists against the heavy bag in a rapid, thumping rhythm, rocking the punching bag back and prompting him to dance aside and fire two lightning fast kicks at it. Blood surged and his heart pounded, the physical effort expended momentarily distracting Squall, forcing him to concentrate on something other than the gorgeous brunette that he couldn't touch. That he _wouldn't_ touch.

Sexual frustration was not new to Squall, but he'd had fewer occasions to experience it since taking the job as a concierge. Indeed, this was the first client he'd had to refuse. It wasn't that he couldn't get laid _before_ , it was simply that lack of time and his admittedly difficult temperament had combined to make it a rarity.

In a sense, taking the job as a concierge/escort had been therapy of a sort for him. It had forced him to consider what his clients wanted and needed, consider someone's needs and desires beyond his own, and helped to complete the thawing process that finding Ellone had started. It had humanized him, as Ellone had once observed.

Falling back into his old methods of dealing with his current frustration however wasn't achieving the results that he'd hoped. Dealing with his immediate need by hand the previous night had only served to put the beast to bed. It hadn't banished it entirely. Likewise with his efforts to work the edge off with exercise. Ordinarily if he found himself in such a position, those methods worked just fine.

But even as he was exhausting himself by beating the punching bag to a pulp, Squall could tell that it wasn't working. It was still there. _She_ was still there. He still wanted her. Still ached for her. And what drove him was deeper and stronger and wilder than mere lust. It was as frightening as it was inexorable, and he had no idea how to deal with it.

He couldn't just take her the way his body urged him to do. Even if she _wanted_ him to, he couldn't. Not just because she was a virgin, a fact that opened up an entirely new can of worms than he'd ever dealt with before. Not because that fact made a relatively simple transaction infinitely more complicated. It was because he very much feared that doing so would _not_ get her out of his system, that the conquest won would not slake his desire for her. Looking into her warm brown eyes dragged him into those bottomless depths and pulled the foundations beneath his feet away, leaving him falling… falling….

He'd never cared for falling. The sensation of hurtling toward an inevitable, inescapable doom had always terrified him, though intellectually he knew that it was never the _fall_ that did you in, but the sudden stop at the end of it. No matter how far you fell, the landing always hurt. Sometimes, it hurt a lot. Sometimes it left you shattered, broken, never to be the same again. And sometimes it killed you.

Squall slammed his fist one last time as hard as he could at the bag, swinging it back an impressive distance before swung back at him and he caught it, breathing heavily and leaning his forehead against it. Once he'd caught his breath he walked away from the bag and plucked a towel from his duffel, wiping himself off.

Rinoa was due to arrive in just a few minutes and he'd worked himself into quite a state over her, he thought ruefully. Well, this was a gym and she was going to get sweaty too, so it shouldn't matter. In fact, after they'd warmed up, maybe he'd have _her_ hitting the bag for a bit.

He'd do his best to tire both himself and her out. Hopefully exhaustion would take his mind off of her. And if he tired _her_ out, maybe she would forget about doing anything else but sleeping in his bed tonight. Perhaps, now that she'd slept and was sober, she already had.

Squall didn't know why that thought bothered him so much.

* * *

Rinoa arrived moments later and Squall mentally locked away his unsettled, roiling emotions and concentrated on instructing her. He drilled her unremittingly on the punching bag, making sure she used the correct mechanics to throw a good, solid punch without hurting herself. He showed her more striking and blocking techniques, and taught her how to be safe in whatever situation she found herself.

He even went as far as getting her a mouth guard and gloves, and encouraging her to spar with him, despite her initial trepidation.

"You need to know how to hit an actual human being, and in turn you need to know what it feels like to _be_ hit. Now, obviously we're not going to go bare knuckle here, I'm not that crazy. But this'll get the point across. Now, hit me." Squall urged her, putting in his own mouth guard.

At first, he blocked her punches easily, and glared at her as he did, his look clearly saying, _I know you can do better than THIS._

Frowning, Rinoa focused on her technique and did her best to land an actual punch, gasping in surprise when she managed to slip through Squall's guard to punch him square in the jaw. The look of approval that earned her bolstered her courage and she began to have fun with it.

Squall worked her gradually through the levels, never hitting her harder than she hit him. But still pushing her relentlessly. Forcing her to use everything he'd taught her, forcing her to _truly_ defend herself without worrying about if she was hurting him. And finally teaching her that getting knocked down didn't necessarily mean that the fight was over.

Of course, it was still a surprise to have him solidly punch her in the jaw and knock her to the ground.

"Get up." He ordered, taking the mouth guard out so she could hear him clearly.

She simply stared at him, stunned. The blow had shocked and rattled her, leaving her jaw smarting and her pride bruised.

"Are you hurt?" he asked her. When she shook her head "no", he repeated harshly, "Then get up! You get knocked down; you get right back up and try to knock your opponent down. Now _get_ _up_!" putting his mouth guard back in, he glared at her, waiting.

Rinoa glared back, slowly coming to the realization that the instructors she'd worked with previously in the community center, tough as they'd seemed at the time, had actually been taking it easy on her. Granted, she hadn't had much more than a couple of introductory classes, but they'd obviously not possessed the skill that the former SeeD teaching her did.

Squall was _not_ taking it easy on her, though he'd brought her up to that point by such gradual degrees that she hadn't been aware of it. Not until his fist had connected solidly, _painfully_ , with her jaw. That told her two things: That he didn't want her to hold back either, and that he was _serious_ about teaching her to defend herself.

Narrowing her eyes, she got to her feet, surprised that her head was still clear despite the punch to her jaw. Another lesson learned: she was tougher than she thought she was. Setting her feet, she brought her fists up and focused her attention on Squall's eyes. Not his fists or feet, but his eyes. Then she launched herself at him.

He blocked the low punch to his solar plexus and the reverse punch to his floating rib, shifting back as Rinoa pressed her attack. But either he was too slow to block, or Rinoa had actually found an opening for the high uppercut that landed solidly at the same time she employed an unexpected sweep.

The look of sheer surprise on Squall's face as he fell backward made Rinoa want to laugh. That, more than anything, told her that he hadn't been coddling her at all, a fact that warmed her.

The warmth intensified when Squall sat up, spit out his mouth guard and grinned at her, saying breathlessly, "Well done!"

Rinoa, already out of breath, suddenly wanted to faint. She'd never seen him actually _smile_ before, so the sight of him grinning up at her nearly did her in. She wondered faintly why he smiled so rarely, then decided that such a devastating weapon of mass seduction needed to be used sparingly. He was only human after all. Even _he_ had limits.

"Wow," she laughed, still trying to catch her breath, "I can't believe I knocked you down!"

Squall brought his knees up and rested his forearms on them; smile fading as he gazed up at her. "It's not an easy feat, believe me." Then he rubbed at his jaw and added, "good punch."

As he glanced at his watch and started getting to his feet, Rinoa asked him, "So, you didn't just _let_ me hit you, right?"

Squall shook his head, "No. I was really testing you. How else would I know if you'd actually learned what I'd been teaching?"

"That's a good point," Rinoa replied, then added, smiling shyly, "thank you, for not going easy on me. I feel like I actually might be able to defend myself, you know, if something happened."

"Yeah, well don't go looking for trouble now. That's not what I'm trying to teach." Squall told her. Then he added, "I don't know about you but I'm done. So let's get started with a cool down and stretch, then you can go back to the room and shower."

"What about you?" Rinoa asked him.

He shrugged in response, "I'll shower down here, same as yesterday. I don't mind."

"Do you…want to?" Rinoa asked hesitantly, cheeks pink.

Squall's mouth went dry and he asked, "Want to what?"

"Shower with me?" she responded, biting her lip and gazing at him earnestly.

_You have no idea…_ Squall thought, then swallowed, unable to respond. He wanted to, _badly._ His mind filled with images of water beading on creamy skin, of him sipping that water from her lips, from her neck, from her nipples…of him merging his body with hers amid the heat and steam of the shower. And yet…. and yet...no.

He could feel his resolve slipping away by the moment. But difficult as it was he would hold firm on _one_ thing if he could do nothing else. If she insisted, he would do his best to accommodate her and make the experience as pleasant as possible. But her first time; _their_ first time would have to be… special. Somehow.

Then he shook his head. "I'm sorry, but no." He had to be losing his mind to even consider it.

Rinoa sighed, disappointed. But inwardly, she wasn't nearly as sad as she'd sounded; she'd seen the momentary "deer in the headlights" expression that had flitted across Squall's face at her invitation. She nearly had him.

Squall forcibly pulled his mind away from the direction it had begun drifting toward, focusing on the here and now, and on what still needed to be done. They were hot, sweaty and exhausted, and Gods help him, he wished they were both naked and in his bedroom to boot. But they weren't and they needed to cool down and clean up.

Then they could go have lunch and Rinoa could do whatever she wanted with the remaining time she had left there. Maybe he'd suggest a chocobo ride for her.

And for dinner? He'd order room service, set it up on his balcony and show her the sunset. Complete with candles, crystal, and fine wine. He refused to think about _why_ he wanted to do that. Just as he refused to think about why he felt so empty inside at the thought of her leaving the next morning.

* * *

"How old are you?" Rinoa asked as the chocobo they rode walked along the beach. She'd been both surprised and intrigued at Squall's suggestion after they'd eaten lunch. She'd actually been considering doing that herself, but hadn't wanted to just go off alone, it wouldn't have been much fun. Unlike her mostly silent companion, Rinoa needed someone to talk to. She didn't like being alone all the time.

Another surprise for her was the fact that Squall didn't shrink back or protest when she snuggled into his arms after taking her place in the saddle in front of him. She wondered if he'd changed his mind or if this was what he normally did with his clients…. Then she mentally kicked herself. Of _course_ he'd do this as a matter of course with his clients, his stock –in –trade _was_ seduction after all.

It felt nice though, being held in his arms. He wasn't being overly familiar either. Instead he seemed to be mainly intent upon preventing her from falling off of their mount. Still, he held her firmly, close enough to his body that she felt warm, and safe, and secure.

Silence stretched long enough that Rinoa began to wonder if he'd answer her question. She tried to be patient with his natural reticence, but she was curious about him, darn it. She wanted to know just a little bit more about this enigmatic man whom she hoped would be her lover that night.

Finally he answered her, "I just turned twenty five this last August."

Rinoa smiled, "I thought you might be about that age. You're the same age I am. My birthday was a little over a week ago." Then she sighed at the beautiful scenery they were riding through. The beach was even lovelier up close, the water a clear turquoise blue that matched Squall's eyes perfectly.

Then she asked him, "So, do you have any family here?" Squall fell silent again and Rinoa wondered if the subject of family was something that he had a problem with. Maybe he didn't have any family at all; or maybe questions about his family brought up painful memories. Rinoa knew all too well what that felt like.

"I'm sorry, if you'd rather not answer…" Rinoa began, but Squall responded, "I have a sister."

"What's she like?" Rinoa asked.

"She's older than me. Twenty-nine. She's very gentle. Sweet. Motherly. But kind of spunky too." Squall answered her, smiling to himself as he thought of Ellone's personality. He rather thought that she'd like Rinoa, would possibly find a kindred spirit in her. Possibly, though it was unlikely that they'd ever meet.

"You sound like you love her a lot." Rinoa sighed, wishing that she hadn't been an only child.

"I do, and not just because she's my only family." Squall replied. "She was always there for me when I needed her." _until suddenly she wasn't. But that wasn't her fault. And I've found her now and I can be there for HER._

"I wish I had an older sister sometimes. I'm an only child, and it was lonely for me, especially after my mother died. My father was always busy so it was mainly nannies that raised me." Rinoa said, sighing. Then she asked, "Does she look anything like you? I'll bet she's beautiful."

"She is, but no, she doesn't look anything like me. My mother adopted her before I was born." Squall answered.

"Your mother?" Rinoa asked, turning around to look up at his face and wondering at his faintly sad expression. "Is she…"

"She died when I was a baby. My sister looked after me while we were in the orphanage together." Squall answered her, wondering why he was talking to her about it. It wasn't relevant to their current situation, and yet there didn't seem to be any point to avoiding her questions either.

"I'm sorry. About your mother I mean. Mine died when I was six. I still miss her sometimes." Rinoa said. Squall didn't reply to that. He couldn't miss what he'd never had.

Rinoa turned back around and snuggled back into him, doing her best to give him a reverse hug, saying softly, "I'm sorry. I've made you sad, talking about her, haven't I?"

"I didn't know her." Squall replied.

"But you're still sad." Rinoa said softly. Squall didn't respond. But his arms _did_ tighten around her, pulling her in closer to him.

They'd made it to the rocky outcropping at the far end of the beach by then, and Squall turned the chocobo around and urged it back toward the stables. Conversation had died again, but Rinoa didn't mind. She had more than enough to sort through from the little she'd learned from him and about him.

Even though he said he didn't know his mother, that she'd died when he was an infant, it was obvious that it had affected him. And Rinoa could empathize with his loss, even if he could only acknowledge it vaguely. She was sad for him, but at the same time, she was happy that she'd managed to slip through his guard to finally learn a little bit more about him.

It wasn't much, really, but it was still important. She now knew that he had an adoptive sister and for a time a least, had been in an orphanage with her. She had learned that he was just a few months older than she was but seemed years beyond her in experience. She had also learned that despite his current profession, he was strangely honorable.

In all of that however, Rinoa detected one telling omission: there was no mention of his father. She wondered if he was dead too, and if Squall knew anything at all about him. Given that his mother had died while he was still a baby, it was likely that he did not.

When they arrived back at the stables, Rinoa was surprised to note that they'd spent the better part of the afternoon on that chocobo ride. It didn't seem like it had taken so long, as entranced as she had been by the view, the ride and most of all, the company she had with her.

They strolled back toward his room, in no hurry to get there, when Rinoa caught sight of a garden that she hadn't seen before. It was full of roses, tropical plants and all sorts of secret pathways, gazebos and bowers. It appeared, to Rinoa at least, to be both wild and secretive, and even just a little bit…. seductive.

Pausing, she took Squall's hand to get his attention, saying, "What a lovely garden. Let's go take a look."

"Alright," he said, following her lead as she pulled him along with her, fingers tangled with his. He could have reclaimed his hand, he supposed; she wasn't gripping it tightly after all. But he liked the feel of her hand in his, so he tightened his grip just a little.

He followed her as she wandered the garden pathways, the sunlight filtering through the overhanging foliage dappling her with light and shadow. She had worn jeans, his suggestion since they were going riding, and a wine colored knit shirt that clung just enough to be intriguing. The warm weather and the time they'd spent out in it had given her cheeks a pretty flush, though he'd been careful to warn her to wear sunscreen.

"I think this is the prettiest garden yet," Rinoa sighed, releasing his hand to cup a rose bloom and bring it to her face to inhale the perfume. She closed her eyes as she did, her rapt expression reminding Squall of a cat sniffing catnip.

He simply watched her, not protesting when she captured his hand again to lead him further down the path, deeper into the garden and the secrets that were revealed around each turn and twist of the way. They ended up in a spot that was so beautiful, peaceful and private, that Rinoa simply gazed at it in wonder.

It was shaded, it had flowers everywhere, and where there weren't flowers was soft green grass and deep green foliage. A bower or gazebo of some sort occupied one end of it, so overgrown with climbing vines of some kind; Rinoa thought they might be grapes, that it was nearly hidden entirely. A fountain, one of many in this place, added its music to the quiet whispers of the wind through the shading trees and plants.

Fascinated by the gazebo, Rinoa pulled Squall along with her to investigate it. The interior was cool and shadowy, fragrant with the scent of flowers and grapes, and drifted with leaves on the wood-plank floors. Broad benches or couches ran along each wall save the one they had entered through. It was totally secluded and private, and Rinoa had a wicked thought that they could do _anything_ there, and nobody would see it.

"It's so quiet here," Rinoa commented, then smiled at Squall, eyes sparkling, "like you."

"You learn more when you listen." Squall said.

"What do you learn?" Rinoa asked. Squall hadn't let go of her hand, she noticed. Instead, he reached out and took her other hand as well, stepping closer until their bodies nearly touched.

"Whatever there is to know." Squall answered softly. "Like how silence unnerves you so you seek to cover it up by talking. I've learned about your relationship with your father and your friends, you've told me about your favorite foods, movies, and books. You've told me of your friends, and your dog. I've learned that you truly appreciate beauty, that you love flowers, roses especially. And I've discovered that your smile could melt the coldest heart."

Rinoa stared up at him, heart beating wildly in her chest, keenly aware of his warm, strong hands holding hers. Of his body's proximity to hers and of his scent. But what caught and held her attention the most was the soft, almost lost expression she saw in his eyes.

Licking her lips, Rinoa cleared her throat and said, "You've learned a lot more about me than I've learned about you." Squall shrugged slightly, still gazing down at her, but not commenting otherwise.

Rinoa laughed softly, "and now we're back to silence."

"If you can't think of anything to say, then why say anything at all?" Squall asked her.

"Good point. My father has a similar saying; 'it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.'" she quoted.

"Wise man." Squall said.

Silence fell again, and Rinoa let it. She let the peace of the garden, the intimacy of the gazebo soak into her soul. She wanted to kiss him again. She wanted to continue where they'd left off the previous night, and the thought of doing so right there in the gazebo gave Rinoa a fluttery thrill, leaving her both nervous and excited.

She wondered how successful she'd be at seducing him. He'd probably forgotten more tricks than she knew and would see through her attempt; but, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Besides, she already knew how attracted he was to her. Perhaps it wouldn't be as difficult as she was making it out to be.

There was only one way to find out.

Releasing his hands, she slid hers up his chest, flattening them against his firm body, feeling his sculpted musculature through the thin cotton shirt he wore. She stretched up, sliding her hands to the back of his neck and tangling her fingers briefly in the hair at its nape before finally touching her lips to his and pulling him into the kiss.

Squall didn't resist. It would have been easier to reverse the incoming tide. Instead he raised his hands to her hips, pulling her close to him while increasing the pressure of his lips against hers, employing his tongue to taste and to tease. Sliding his hands up her back, he wrapped his arms around Rinoa and hugged her close. She responded in kind and they were locked together in an intimate embrace, lost together in a timeless moment.

Breaths coming short, they separated, Rinoa gazing up at him with rosy cheeks and moist, well-kissed lips. Squall too was left breathless, heart thumping painfully as he gazed down at her, feeling lost, adrift. And still falling…Bringing his hand up, he gently stroked the back of his fingers along her cheek, then threaded them through her hair.

Swallowing audibly, he finally murmured, "There's something I'd like you to see. Come with me."

* * *

Squall led her out of the gazebo, fingers tangled with Rinoa's, exactly the way she had led him in. She wondered what it was that he wanted to show her.

"Where are we going?" she asked him.

"Back to my place. It's nearly sunset." Squall answered her.

"Okay, and is that important?" Rinoa asked, mystified.

"Today it is." Squall responded. Then he asked her, "Are you hungry? I realize it's a little early yet for dinner but I had in mind to order room service and eat out on the balcony with you this evening."

Rinoa's heart fluttered a little at the blatantly romantic image that his invitation conjured and said breathlessly, "That sounds lovely." The fluttering intensified at the small smile that Squall gave her when he glanced back at her.

"Good." he said, and then asked, "What would you like to eat?"

Rinoa considered that for a moment before answering, "You know, for some reason I'm really craving fish and chips."

"All right. I'll call that in when we get back to my place." Squall said. It wasn't precisely the romantic meal _he'd_ been considering, but if that was what she wanted and she enjoyed it that was all that mattered to him. Besides, he liked fish and chips as well.

When they returned to his apartment, Rinoa excused herself to freshen up and Squall called room service to have their dinners delivered. Once she'd finished what she needed to do, she went looking for Squall.

She found him out on the balcony, leaning against the stone balustrade.

"Dinner should be here in about a half hour," he informed her as she approached him.

"What should we do until then?" Rinoa asked, coming up to lean on her elbows next to him. He glanced over at her and shrugged.

"Whatever you want." He answered her.

She smiled over at him, "We seem to be doing pretty well with the conversation."

"If you say so." He replied, watching as she sidled closer to him, looping her arm loosely through his.

"I do say so. So, what was it you wanted me to see?" She asked leaning into him slightly. He smiled slightly, fully aware of what she was doing, and threaded his fingers through hers.

"It's not time yet." He told her.

Rinoa sighed at his answer; "well then, I guess you're going to have to tell me a little bit more about yourself."

"What do you want to know?" He asked.

"Hmmm…" Rinoa made a show of pondering his question, then smiled at him and asked, "Favorite color?"

"Blue."

"Favorite food?"

"Hmmm. That's a tough one. Guess I'll go with fish and chips. Balamb fish, of course." He answered.

"I'll bet you were a picky eater as a kid." Rinoa commented, recalling his oddly methodical process of eating grapes.

Squall shook his head, "No, I wasn't. Complaints weren't allowed. You ate what you were given or you didn't eat."

Rinoa swallowed, suddenly saddened by what his response hinted. "Was… was that a rule in the orphanage?"

"That, and Balamb Garden." Squall replied.

"That's where you trained to be a SeeD, right?" Rinoa asked.

"You've heard of it then. I suppose I'm not surprised, given who your father is." Squall stated.

"What was it like? How long does it take to become a SeeD?" Rinoa wondered.

"A very long time. Most of us at Balamb Garden are orphans. Those that show aptitude for it are fast-tracked into the SeeD program, usually at around age seven or eight. Gifted kids are taken earlier. I was enrolled at age five. I spent the next twelve years learning to become a SeeD, and I graduated at seventeen." Squall answered her, directing his attention out toward the sea.

Then he added, "It wasn't bad there, I suppose. I was educated, I got fed regularly. I was trained to a career that paid pretty well. I got to travel the world, see new things and new places. And Garden itself is beautiful, as is Balamb."

"You sound like you miss it." Rinoa said, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"A little sometimes. Up until two years ago it was the only life I knew." Squall replied.

Rinoa had just started to ask him again why he'd left it when there was a knock at the front door .

Squall gently pulled free of her and started toward the door, saying over his shoulder, "That's probably room service. Just wait here."

"Okay." Rinoa turned and leaned back against the balustrade, watching him leave. He returned a short time later with the room service guy and the trolley that Rinoa assumed carried their meals.

Rinoa watched as everything was set up; a white linen cloth was thrown over the patio table, dishes and utensils were transferred over from the trolley, wine poured, and finally a small, fragrant candle in a glass holder was lit. The result was incredibly beautiful.

"Everything's ready." Squall told her, inviting her to sit down.

"It's lovely," Rinoa said, smiling warmly at him as she took the seat he'd pulled out for her. She inhaled the mouthwatering smell of the fish and chips and was suddenly very hungry.

He came around the table and took the seat opposite hers and said, "It gets better. Just wait."

Crunching into one of her filets, Rinoa sighed, "mmmm, this is good. So, what are we waiting for?"

"The sunset," Squall answered her. "It should be starting in about a half hour or so. You can already see the light changing."

Rinoa gazed out toward the sea and around, only then becoming aware of the golden quality of the light that heralded the waning of the sun. She sipped at the wine he'd poured, a light, just slightly dry white that paired perfectly with the fish.

"You're right," she said softly. "I wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't pointed it out. Thank you."

"Just keep watching the sea. It gets better." Squall directed her.

"I'd rather watch you instead. The way the sun has poured gold all over you. You're more beautiful than anything I can look at out there." Rinoa said.

Squall's mouth went dry and he was at a loss for words for a moment. Her simple observation was completely unexpected and utterly disarming as a result. He took a sip of his wine, trying to regain his composure and hoping that the warmth he suddenly felt in his cheeks wasn't a blush, and that she didn't notice it if it was.

Clearing his throat, he said, "That's supposed to be _my_ line."

Rinoa smiled at him, noticing the blush and finding it endearing, "It's more true in your case."

"No it isn't."

"Yes it is."

He laughed softly at her insistence, then indicated the view, "You'll want to pay attention to this though. It's worth it."

Rinoa's smile broadened at the soft laughter she'd managed to pull from him, counting it a major victory. It made her willing to be magnanimous, so she nodded regally at him and turned her attention back to the view of the coastline.

"If you say so."

"I do."

Rinoa turned her attention back to her dinner, finishing her meal, and watched in wonder as the light gradually changed from the rich gold that had burnished everything to a brilliant blaze of fire across the sky above the seashore. Wispy clouds that Rinoa hadn't noticed before turned into brushstrokes of gold, scarlet and rose against a backdrop of blue that gradually deepened in color and hue to lavender and then violet.

It hadn't taken long, Rinoa realized, and suddenly the sky was crimson, and indigo, and midnight blue. But just as the final blaze of skyfire was dimming, with just a stain of red on the horizon above the sea, a sudden rain of stars flitting across the evening sky appeared, prompting Rinoa to gasp.

"Oh, my…" She got up from the table and walked toward the edge of the balcony, entranced by the sight.

"Is this…. Is this what you wanted me to see?" Rinoa asked breathlessly.

Squall got up from the table as well and joined Rinoa at the balcony's edge, coming up behind her and stopping just before he touched her.

"No," he finally answered humbly. "I only wanted to show you the sunset. They're spectacular here. I'd…. forgotten that the meteor shower was happening tonight."

"It's…beautiful. Magical." She whispered. "I couldn't wish enough wishes for all of these falling stars…"

"If you only make one wish then, it's guaranteed to come true." Squall said, shocking himself by that bit of whimsy. He wasn't given to whimsical flights of fancy. But the night was lovely, Rinoa was lovelier and…the shower of falling stars had added to the magic.

Rinoa turned then, the light in her eyes reflected in her smile as she breathed, "Then I wish for you to make love with me…" then she paused, realizing she'd gotten it wrong and said, "I'm sorry, I mean…"

"I know what you mean." Squall interrupted her gently. He sighed and stepped away from her to lean upon the balustrade. The cooling night air did not soothe him; the gentle whisper of surf did not take away the ache that had begun in his chest. A frightening sense of inevitability came over him, and he didn't know if he had the strength any more to fight it. Much less the will to do so.

Confused by his withdrawal, Rinoa joined him at the balustrade, this time slipping her arm around his waist and pressing herself close to his body. His arm automatically came around her and she smiled to herself at this small triumph.

She tried again, whispering, "Please? I want you to. I know you'll make it…good. You're a professional at this, so you know what you're doing and…"

"Stop." Squall said in a strangled voice. Taking a deep breath, he said without looking at her, "you deserve better than that. Than me. Your first time should be with someone you love who loves you in return. It shouldn't be with a…." he couldn't finish.

Rinoa fell silent, but she didn't pull away. She also didn't try to fight the tears that had welled up in her eyes, or the sob that broke her voice when she finally said, "A year ago, it would have been. A year ago, I would have been someplace as beautiful as this, on my honeymoon with my new husband." Tears blinded her as they flowed down her face, and she struggled for breath as she continued, "but…he... he was killed, just weeks before the wedding. Mortar attack, they said. They couldn't save him. They tried, but…" she collapsed into sobs and this time, Squall didn't pull away from her, instead pulling her close and holding her.

He didn't say anything. He couldn't. "I'm sorry," just didn't seem to be enough, and he'd never been very good with other people's emotional issues anyway. He had enough of his own to deal with. But simply holding her, that seemed to be the right thing to do; certainly the way she clung to him gave him the sense that it was what she wanted from him.

So he tightened his arms around her and let her cry into his chest, stroking her hair gently. He couldn't fight what was happening to him anymore. Something, sometime during the last couple of days, had taken root within him. He could feel it growing, growing into something he didn't have a name for yet. Not yet.

Her storm of weeping finally passed and Squall kissed the top of her head gently then looked down into her upturned face as she looked up at him. He raised his hand to her cheek, cupping it and using his thumb to gently brush the tears away. Then he kissed her. Closing his eyes, he gave himself up to it, tasting both wine and tears on her lips; kissing her with equal parts of sweetness and heat. Which Rinoa reciprocated.

He pulled back to catch his breath, gazing down at her and caressing her hair. And Squall Leonhart, a former high-ranking member of SeeD, a group of warriors known for their combat skills and tenacity, and feared for the fact that they asked no quarter and gave none, did something he'd never done before in his life.

He surrendered.

"All right." He whispered, gazing into her deep brown eyes. Lost. Adrift. And still falling….


	7. Chapter 7

Rinoa's heart started pounding fit to burst. She was elated. She was nervous. She was a little surprised that he'd capitulated so readily, and she was also still just a little bit scared. But she wanted this. She wanted _him_.

Greatly daring, she brought her hand up to caress his cheek, wanting to feel for herself if it was as soft, as smooth as it looked. It was, though she could feel just a hint of roughness from the whiskers that were just starting. Fascinated by the ever so slight abrasion, she brushed the backs of her fingers over his cheek.

He caught her hand in his, pressing it against his cheek briefly and closing his eyes. Rinoa's senses seemed preternaturally heightened, her focus sharpened to impress into her mind the tiniest details of everything that she saw, felt, and experienced. Squall's woody, spicy scent, the warmth of his hand as it covered hers, the almost tickly sensation of his thumb caressing her palm, the softness of his lips as he turned his head to kiss it.

He kept hold of her hand and lowered his, opening his eyes to gaze at her for a moment before he finally said quietly, "come on."

She focused on the solid strength of his hand, and the calluses she could feel under her palm, as he led her across the balcony and through the doors. She drew strength from his firm grip- neither so tight as to be painful, nor so loose as to seem weak and uncertain.

She followed him across the main room of his apartment and into his bedroom. Once there he stopped and turned to face her, taking her other hand.

"You know how this is all supposed to work, right? What has to happen?" Squall asked her softly, hoping she at least knew _that_ much.

Swallowing, Rinoa nodded and answered, "Yes. I'm not _completely_ ignorant. I know the… the mechanics of it. Just never got to the practice part."

"I see." Squall said, moving closer to her. Releasing her hands, he ran his palms lightly up her arms to her shoulders, sending a warm thrill throughout Rinoa's nerve endings and prompting her to shiver slightly.

Kissing her softly on the forehead, Squall murmured, "I'll do my best to…" he moved to one of her cheeks, kissing it lightly, "make this as…" he kissed her other cheek, a feathery light peck that prompted her to close her eyes and sigh softly, "pleasurable for you as possible." His lips found hers and fused with them as his hands tightened their grip on her shoulders and brought her closer until her body was flush against his.

He kissed her lightly, pressing his lips against hers, rubbing, sipping, nibbling at them, making her heart pound and breath come short, making her ache for more as he teased her. Rinoa slipped her hands around his waist and let them travel up his back, pressing herself against him. Squall's hands meanwhile had both moved from her shoulders to the back of her neck, fingers threading through her hair.

Gently caressing the back of her neck, Squall moved his lips from hers and lightly trailed them along her cheek, resting his against it as he asked her softly, "are you nervous?"

"Yes," Rinoa breathed in answer, then swallowed and added, "but…don't stop. Please." Yes, she was still quivering with nerves deep in her guts, but she was also quivering with both excitement and need.

Squall rubbed his cheek lightly against hers, the slight roughness of stubble sending shocks through her sensitized nerve endings. He brushed his lips against her cheek again, leaving a trail of feathery light kisses down her neck, making her tremble and catch her breath.

Bringing his lips back up her neck, he brushed them against her ear, making her gasp and shiver again as he whispered, "We'll go slowly. If you don't like something, or are uncomfortable, tell me and I'll stop."

"Really?" Rinoa asked.

Squall turned to look into her eyes, cradling her face gently in his hands, and answered her softly, "Yes. I won't want to. In fact I would hate to. But if you don't want to continue, I _will_ stop."

Rinoa simply studied his face for a moment, caught by the peculiar expression in his eyes. Soft, and warm, like the turquoise water just outside his window; they invited her to swim in them, _drown_ in them. Rinoa dove in without a second thought.

Tightening her arms around him, Rinoa reached up and pressed her lips firmly, insistently against his, telling him without words what she wanted. Squall responded by deepening the kiss, employing his tongue to further tantalize and inflame. Heat rose and threatened to overwhelm them both, and Squall found it difficult not to get too carried away.

But he couldn't let go, not yet. This was about _her_ , and _her_ pleasure, not his. He couldn't lose sight of that fact lest he run the risk of ruining the experience for her. So he took a firm hold of the hunger growling deep within him and reined it in. He focused instead on his senses; on what he was seeing, and feeling, and on how Rinoa responded to him.

She was surprisingly bold in some ways, virginally shy in others. Her eagerness to unbutton his shirt to caress and kiss his chest, reminiscent of the previous night, juxtaposed with her hesitation to go further than the waistband of his jeans. The dichotomy fascinated him. And her willingness to explore him as he explored her grew as things progressed, to the point that it threatened to undo his hard won control. _Threatened_ to, but as long as he kept his attention on _her_ , he could maintain it.

He concentrated upon the way she sighed and gasped when he nibbled lightly at the sensitive skin under her ear. Upon the way she trembled after he'd pulled off her shirt and removed her bra, skimming his hands down her arms to pull it off. The way her breath trembled from him trailing his fingers lightly up her arms again, then over to cup and caress her breasts, brushing his thumbs over her nipples. Upon the quiet moan that whispered from her as he bent down to take first one, then the other into his mouth, suckling and teasing them with his tongue.

He followed her pace, allowing her to touch and caress him at will, just as he did with her as clothing was removed and their bodies were revealed. If she had asked him, as he'd asked her, if he was nervous, he'd have had to answer yes. It was a daunting challenge to take on, one that would certainly put his skills to the test. Well, he could only do his best, and hope that it would be enough.

Rinoa meanwhile was adrift in a sensual haze, much like the previous night. The only difference being the fact that her mind was clear and her senses were sharpened by desire. She wanted to fully absorb every moment, so she sighed at the light tracing of his fingers over her bare skin, at the pressure of his lips as they followed the paths his fingers had taken. She took in the feel of his callused hands undressing her and caressing what was revealed, the way his breath hitched when she did the same, proving he was as caught up in the dance as she.

And yes, when he took her into his arms on his bed, his hands _were_ warm, as warm as she had daydreamed they'd be. And they felt much better caressing her thighs and hips than she'd ever imagined they would. He seemed intent upon kissing and caressing every inch of her body, stoking the fires and increasing the tension in her lower abdomen, making her fight for breath as he brought her to the edge.

The delicate touch of his fingers in her most sensitive of places, and the teasing kisses he trailed up her inner thigh had her nearly weeping as he left her hovering there. She couldn't think any more, only feel, and what she felt was indescribable. Then Squall replaced his fingers with his tongue and Rinoa was catapulted into the unknown.

A sobbing moan was torn from her throat as Squall pushed her over the edge, relentlessly teasing her and sending shockwaves of pleasure throughout her body. She arched her back, gripping the blanket beneath her as she shuddered in the throes of the most intense orgasm she'd ever experienced.

She and Allyn had played before, but never like _this_.

"Oh…my…" she managed breathlessly.

"Stay with me Rinoa," Squall murmured softly, dropping soft kisses up her abdomen and making her gasp again. "We're not done yet."

Oh. Right. She felt a little touch of nerves again, but it was fading in the face of what she'd already experienced. And even as the aftershocks of her orgasm faded, Squall continued to kiss and caress her body. She sighed and closed her eyes, reaching out to run her fingers through Squall's hair as he caressed, teased and suckled at her breasts and nipples. The smooth, warm silk of his hair was at least as fascinating to her as what he was doing to her body.

She left off for a moment when he paused, gazing down into her face and said, "this next part may be…uncomfortable." Rinoa swallowed apprehensively as he leaned away from her for a moment reaching for something. When he returned she saw that it was a condom he'd been reaching for. She couldn't stop herself from watching as he covered himself, fascinated by the process.

He leaned forward then, and stroked her hair lightly away from her face. Then he kissed her lightly once, twice, distracting her while he shifted and settled himself against and on top of her. Rinoa smoothed her hands up his back, liking the feel of his hard muscles under her hands, the weight and warmth of his body as it rested against hers.

She could feel him, poised and ready but so far he hadn't gone any farther than where he currently was. It left her both excited and apprehensive, something that Squall somehow picked up on.

Resting upon his elbows, he started with the feather light kisses on her cheeks, neck and lips, lingering there and gradually getting hotter, deeper and wetter. Making her ache for more.

"Are you ready?" he breathed into her ear, making her sigh.

Rinoa wrapped her arms around him and whispered, "Yes."

Watching Rinoa's reactions carefully, Squall pushed forward slowly until she gasped and clutched at him and he felt the resistance that he knew would be there. He stopped then and simply held her, worried about the slight tremors that he felt.

"You okay?" he asked her, doing his best to calm her with gentle kisses.

"Yes," she gasped. "Just…give me a minute to get used to…. this…"

"Take your time." Squall whispered. It was awkward, holding his position, and more than a little frustrating when his body was crying out for him to continue. So he focused upon Rinoa, not only for her benefit but also for his own as well, to take his mind off the release that he was craving.

Slow, sweet kisses calmed her trembling, while caressing her face and hair lightly helped her to relax. Eventually she began to respond to him, her kisses getting hotter while her hands roamed up and down his back.

"Are you…" Squall gasped, aching as she continued to kiss him, finding it hard to focus while she was nibbling on his neck.

"Please, yes…Oh…please…" Rinoa whispered urgently, her initial discomfort had eased and the sensation became more pleasurable so she felt ready to proceed. Squall groaned in relief at her encouragement, kissing her deeply as he surged forward in a hard thrust.

The tearing pain that resulted startled Rinoa into a yelp, then a strangled sob. She couldn't control the tremors or the tears that flooded her eyes, but did her best not to let Squall see them by burying her face into the curve of his neck. She knew this part would hurt, but she'd still been surprised by how much.

It had surprised Squall as well, and he swallowed, his heart sinking as he held her and felt her shudders. But there was no going back now; he couldn't even if he wanted to. The only thing he could do from this point was to make sure that she forgot the pain.

"Shh….shh…" He whispered, stroking her hair. He was doing his best, if awkwardly, to comfort her. It wasn't something he'd ever had to do before under such circumstances. And the cry she'd let out… it had pierced straight through to his heart.

"It'll get better. I'll make sure it does. Still with me?" Squall whispered, kissing her forehead, heart thumping painfully at the tears that had gathered in her eyes. He couldn't hold back a sigh of relief at her tremulous nod, and he wiped away the moisture under her eyes and kissed her again.

He started slowly, carefully, in deference to her newness, doing his best not to get too caught up in how she felt under and around him. It was difficult for him _not_ to get carried away though because she fit him like a glove. Not just where he was joined with her, although that was enough to drive him out of his mind; but in the way her arms and legs wrapped around him, in the way their bodies fit together like they were made for each other.

Rinoa bore it up the best she could, biting her lip and holding on to Squall as he moved slowly and carefully within her. At first, all she could feel was pain, and very little pleasure, and she began to worry that it would all be for nothing. That she would get only _that_ for her first time. Then it was pain, mixed with a little bit of pleasure. And then pain with a little more pleasure. And as things progressed, the pain _did_ lessen and fade away, and pleasure gradually took its place. Eventually the sobbing moans and gasps that Rinoa emitted were wholly from the pleasure she was feeling, and not from pain.

Upon seeing and hearing Rinoa's obvious enjoyment of their lovemaking, Squall felt a huge sense of relief that she'd finally turned the corner. Still, he kept the pace gentle and slow, despite the gut-deep urge he had to step up the tempo and intensity. No way would she be ready for that. Not yet.

That didn't mean that things didn't get hot and intense despite the gentle pace. Indeed, the slow build of tension as they wrapped themselves up in each other provided a more than satisfactory conclusion to their interlude. Squall had worried that she wouldn't be able to peak a second time, that the orgasm he'd brought her to orally was the only one she'd have. But that was when he'd actually been able to think.

He was operating wholly on instinct now, taking his cues from Rinoa's responses and following as well as leading her toward something…. wonderful.

His focus narrowed to his pounding heart, his racing blood and his starving lungs. To the tension in both his body and the body of the woman in his arms, to the way her caresses changed from light and tentative to hard, desperate clutching, nails digging into his back.

He felt the tension break free when Rinoa threw her head back in a gasping, sobbing moan, nails leaving trails of fire down his back as she shuddered in the throes of her orgasm. The feel of her shaking in his arms and pulsing around him was more than he could take and his release followed hard upon the heels of hers, leaving _him_ gasping and shaking as well.

He collapsed for a moment, feeling completely drained, trying to reorder his scattered wits. He closed his eyes for a moment when gentle fingers began combing through the hair at the back of his neck, further transporting him into a state of bliss.

"Are you okay?" Rinoa asked him in a whisper.

"Hmm?" Squall lifted his head and peered down into her face, frowning slightly. "I should be asking you that."

"Well, you just sort of…went limp… It worried me." she murmured softly.

"It happens. Don't worry about it, I'm fine." Squall reassured her, punctuating his comment with a light kiss. Then he shifted, carefully withdrawing from her, prompting her to gasp.

"Okay?" he asked her, concerned.

"I feel a little raw," Rinoa admitted, cheeks turning pink.

"You _are_ a little raw," Squall replied, frowning down at his groin. "I'll be right back."

Rinoa bit her lip, wondering what he'd meant. Then she shifted and saw the stains on his bedding and wanted to die right there. By the time Squall returned from the bathroom, Rinoa had worked herself into a state close to tears.

"I'm so sorry," she gasped. "I've ruined your linens…."

"What?" Squall asked, running his hand through his hair, puzzled. Then he saw what she was referring to and winced slightly.

Coming up to the bed he knelt down in front of her and took her face in his hands, shushing her gently. "Don't worry about it. It'll wash." Then he added with a little less certainty, "I guess that's…normal."

"You don't know?" Rinoa asked, finding that amusing for some reason.

Squall shrugged slightly, looking sheepish, "Only what I've heard. I've never been with a virgin before, so this was kind of a first for me too." Then he added awkwardly, "you may want to um…deal with that." He gestured vaguely toward the bathroom and Rinoa nodded, getting the hint.

While she was gone Squall dealt with the bedding. It was only the one bedspread and it wasn't terrible. Still, it would be a little tough to explain the bloodstains to housekeeping. Squall shuddered at the thought, and tossed the spread into the hamper with the rest of the laundry. He'd wash it himself. By the time Rinoa returned Squall was already pulling the sheets back and preparing to get into the bed.

"Oh! You…uh…" Rinoa began, noticing the new bedspread and biting her lip.

"Yeah. Don't worry about it." Squall repeated, getting into the bed. Propping his head on his fist, he patted the bed with his other hand, inviting her, "Come in."

Rinoa hesitated briefly, but the memories of how his arms had felt around her, and how his warmth had seeped into her while he held her, decided her. She got back into the bed and sighed as his arms came around her.

She shifted, snuggling closer, and rested her head upon his chest. She lay silent for a moment, listening to him breathe, listening to his heartbeat. His warmth and his scent combined with his heartbeat to soothe her, giving her a wonderful sense of comfort. She closed her eyes as she felt his hand softly caressing her hair. It wasn't fair that she had to leave in the morning. Not when she'd only just discovered …or was on the _verge_ of discovering… Something wonderful.

Some _one_ wonderful. Maybe.

Stroking her hand up his chest, and fascinated by the smooth texture of his skin, the hard muscles beneath, and the number and variety of his battle scars, Rinoa shifted, placing a gentle kiss on his chest where her head had rested.

"Thank you," She whispered. "Thank you for making love with me. Thank you for being so…. kind about it. It was…amazing."

"You're welcome. I'm glad to hear it." Squall murmured, kissing the top of her head softly.

"Did you…um… enjoy it too?" Rinoa asked hesitantly.

"I should think that would have been obvious." Squall answered, amused.

"Yeah. I guess so." Rinoa replied, then looked up into his face, eyes sparkling and asked, "So…I was your first virgin, huh?"

"Yes," Squall answered, charmed by her rosy-cheeked smile.

"So, until tonight you were a virgin-virgin?" she asked him, smile broadening into a grin.

"A…What?" he asked, startled. Rinoa simply smiled at him and he finally got the joke and started laughing.

Rinoa's heart seemed to stop, watching him laugh. Aquamarine eyes glittering with amusement, teeth flashing whitely as his lips stretched wide in a grin. He truly had a beautiful smile, something Rinoa didn't expect judging by their first meeting.

"I guess you could say that," Squall finally said, still chuckling.

Rinoa yawned softly and laid her head back onto his chest, saying, "You're pretty good for a virgin-virgin." She smiled again as his laughter shook her.

"Thank you." He said, kissing the top of her head. They fell silent for a moment, and Squall sighed as Rinoa resumed tracing the network of scars on his chest. Rather than bothering him, it soothed him. He liked the feel of her soft hands on his body.

"So many scars," Rinoa whispered. "Is it so dangerous to be a SeeD?"

"Yes." Squall answered her simply.

"So, you weren't joking when you mentioned wanting to live to reach thirty." Rinoa stated.

"No." Squall replied, then added, "Of course, for me this was more about finding a reason to _want_ to live to thirty. And maybe past it."

"You didn't have one before?" Rinoa asked with a frown.

"No. Not really. I mean, there _was_ Elle; looking for her kept me going but…really there was nothing else." Squall answered her.

"Elle?" Rinoa asked him, looking up into his face.

He reached over and caressed her cheek and answered her softly, "My sister. Ellone. We were separated when I was about five. I guess she was adopted or something. She hasn't really said yet. I spent pretty much the rest of my life looking for her, missing her. When I made SeeD at seventeen I started searching in earnest. I finally found her two years ago."

"That's when you left SeeD." Rinoa stated, beginning to understand him, a little.

"She needed me." Squall said.

"And you needed her too." Rinoa said.

Squall studied her for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. I did."

"Then I'm glad you found her." Rinoa said softly. Squall swallowed and looked away for a moment. For some reason, her comment and her understanding had brought back that odd pang in his heart again. They were both silent for a moment, and Squall thought Rinoa might be falling asleep.

"You know, I've been meaning to ask you about your tattoo." Rinoa began, changing the subject and proving that she hadn't succumbed to sleep yet.

"What about it?" He asked her.

"Well, I know the black and white badge thing, that's the SeeD's symbol, right?" She asked him in return.

"Yeah," Squall answered, nodding.

"What about the rest of it? That letter and those three bars? What do they signify?" Rinoa wondered.

"My rank." Squall answered, then elaborated, "The 'A' was my SeeD level, and the three bars was my rank designation. Commander, if you want to know."

Rinoa didn't know much about SeeD ranks, but she was impressed nonetheless. "So, is that like a colonel or captain or something?" she asked, trying to fit it into a framework that she was familiar with.

"No, it was more like a General I guess. I commanded all of the SeeDs for a while. All requests for SeeD assistance came through me, and I was the one that deployed them." Squall answered.

"And now you do this," Rinoa said, yawning and closing her eyes, starting to get sleepy.

"Not… _just_ this. In fact…" Squall began, to be interrupted by Rinoa mumbling sleepily, "Well, you've done a good job tonight. Well worth your fee…"

"Yeah… about that…" Squall said uncomfortably, only to be interrupted by a soft snore. She had fallen asleep.

Damn. He'd wanted to tell her that the fee didn't matter. It hadn't mattered since the previous night, when he'd submitted a refund to the card that had paid for Rinoa's visit. He'd also wanted to tell her the reason why he'd made it a point to book only blonds. Why she drove him out of his mind, and why he wanted, badly, not to have to say good-bye to her in the morning.

Most of all, he wanted to tell her that this night had meant something to him. He hadn't sold himself for long enough to become so jaded that it hadn't, and he'd have been lying if he'd said that it was just about the sex. It was more than that. Much more.

How _much_ more he had yet to determine, and it was too late now to try to figure it out. She was flying back to the other side of the world in the morning. Going back to her life… her friends, her family…. in time he'd just be a pleasant memory. At least he hoped he would.

Certainly, _he'd_ never want to forget _her_. He didn't think he could even if he tried.

He lay there a quiet, brief eternity and watched her sleep, memorizing the color of her hair and its smooth, silky texture. Imprinting the feel, the scent, the taste of her, the warmth of her body as it lay next to his into his mind. Into his soul. Into his heart. And he was still falling. Falling forever it seemed. He knew the end was coming; that the fall would finally end painfully but that didn't matter anymore. When you can't fight fate, the only thing you can do is to close your eyes and enjoy the fall. If you fall far enough you can extend your arms and fool yourself into believing that you're flying. That brief, soaring moment can almost make you believe that it's worth getting shattered in the end.

That night, as Squall finally let sleep take him, he dreamed of wings.

* * *

An alarm, ringing insistently, roused Squall out of the best sleep he'd had in a long time. Rinoa had shifted position during the night and lay curled on her side, facing away from him. It was fortunate that she had, so Squall could leap quickly out of his bed and snatch up the cellphone that was still ringing.

"What's up?" he asked quietly, already padding over to his dresser to grab some clothes. His crew usually never called him on weekends. They were more than competent enough to handle virtually anything that might occur during that time. But the alarm that had sounded as the ring tone for his phone had only one purpose…it was for emergencies only.

"I'm sorry for calling you boss, but we have a situation here and really need your help." It was the shift lead, Eric. If _he_ felt it necessary to call then the situation really _was_ more than he could handle. Eric was one of Squall's best crew leads.

"Talk to me," Squall ordered in a low voice, pulling on a pair of pants.

"Why are you whispering?" Eric asked him, puzzled.

"I'm not alone. What's going on?" Squall demanded, pulling on his socks and putting on his shoes.

"Sorry man," Eric said, then reported, "We had a perimeter breach to the northwest. Both outer barriers and the inner fence. We took care of the two toramas that came through but we're having trouble with a big behemoth that followed them in. It's already taken out three guys and we're doing our best just to hold it at bay."

Squall swore quietly, then ordered, "all right. Pull back and go for containment. Don't let it past you but don't attack it either. I'll be there as soon as possible."

"Okay. We'll hold it here. We're at sector 6A." Eric said.

"Understood." Squall replied, then rang off and stuck his phone into his pocket. Quickly lacing up his boots, he pulled on the shirt he'd grabbed along with his pants, got up from the corner of the bed where he'd been sitting and walked around it toward his closet.

He moved as quietly as he normally did, but the alarm from his cellphone had already disturbed Rinoa's sleep. And even being as quiet as possible, loading bullets into a gunblade wasn't a _completely_ silent process. Still, a gasp from behind him as he slid Lionheart into the sheath he wore on his back surprised him a little.

The alarm had indeed awakened Rinoa, though she'd tried to drift back to sleep despite the low voiced conversation that Squall had been having with whomever it was that had called. From what she'd been able to make out, it sounded as if something had occurred which required his attention as he'd immediately started to get dressed the moment he picked up the cell phone.

Rinoa had debated with herself over letting him know she was awake or simply watching him dress and trying to go back to sleep after he left. He was difficult to see in the darkness, the black clothing he'd donned causing him to melt into the shadows. But she saw his shadowy form head to the closet, heard him pull out and open something that sounded like a case, and proceed to do what could only be loading bullets into a firearm of some sort. It certainly _sounded_ like it at any rate. Rinoa _had_ heard her father loading his own guns a time or two in the past, and it certainly sounded similar to that.

So she was surprised into a gasp when she actually _saw_ the weapon that Squall was loading when he slid it into the sheath that she hadn't even noticed was on his back. It was impossible _not_ to see it; it was nearly as long as his body and the blade _glowed_ with a cold, blue light.

Squall turned quickly at the sound and approached the bed, kneeling down next to it, whispering, "I'm sorry about that. Some SeeD I am; can't even get dressed without waking the woman in my bed. I must be slipping."

"You're not a SeeD anymore." Rinoa said, stating the obvious.

Squall snorted quietly, "You're right." He reached out and caressed her cheek, face impossible to read in the darkness.

"What's happened?" Rinoa asked him, swallowing and reaching up to press his hand against her cheek.

"Perimeter breach, and its more than my guys can handle, so I need to give them a hand." Squall answered her softly. "I'll be back though."

Rinoa was thankful for the darkness that hid the moisture gathering in her eyes as she whispered, "So you can say good bye…"

Squall's breath hitched, then he swallowed and said, "To see you off at the airport. I'd….I'd like to see you again, sometime." _Sometime soon, I hope._

"So would…." Rinoa began, when the alarm began ringing again.

"Shit!" Squall whispered. "Rinoa, I have to go." He hesitated a moment, then crushed his lips against hers in a searing, though devastatingly brief, kiss. Then he got up and hurried out of the apartment.

Rinoa lay back onto the bed, heart still pounding from his kiss. She hoped he would hurry back, for she suddenly, desperately, wanted to make love with him again, one last time.

* * *

"Took you long enough," Eric commented wryly when Squall finally made it over to where they were still holding off the monster. "She must have been a cutie."

"Shut up." Squall said mildly, studying the situation and the large, horned, purple beast that crouched at bay, still snarling, tail still lashing. There was no question of driving it back out into the wild. The barriers would have to be repaired and the beast would still be out there, a threat to the repair crews and everyone at the resort.

Pulling out his gunblade, he cocked the hammer and ordered, "Pull everyone back. Give me some room to work, but don't let it get past you, no matter what. If it looks like it's going to break through your perimeter, throw everything you've got at it, even if I'm in the way."

Eric frowned, "but…"

"Do it."

"Right." Eric turned to the other personnel gathered around, and called out, "You heard him! Pull back!"

The gathered security force backed up, expanding the space between the behemoth and the men. As they moved, Squall advanced, his step measured, his eyes watchful. The creature immediately focused its attention on Squall; its growl deepening as it shifted to keep Squall in sight.

Squall walked around it, gunblade ready, satisfied that it kept its attention on him, turning its head to follow him as he moved toward its rear. It's aggressive attitude increased, and Squall knew it wouldn't take much to incite it to charge. When Squall reached the position he wanted, with his back to the breached barrier and the monster's snarl increasing in pitch, he let out a piercing whistle to make sure he caught its attention and bolted for the gap.

"C'mon ugly!" He challenged. "Let's play tag!"

As he'd hoped, the creature immediately charged. Casting a glance over his shoulder and seeing the beast in full stride, Squall immediately put on the brakes and dodged aside. The behemoth's momentum and greater weight made it hard for it to correct its direction as quickly as Squall, and he took advantage of it.

While it was still turning and off balance, he attacked it. A powerful down stroke on the monster's thick neck, an explosion as Squall pulled the trigger and shot it through with the pulse ammo he'd loaded wounded the creature and it cried out, stumbling. It recovered its feet quickly and slewed its head around, seeking to hook Squall with its horns, but Squall blocked the attack and countered with a slash across the beast's face.

The behemoth roared in pain and slashed at Squall with its clawed forepaws, which Squall only narrowly managed to dodge. The angrier the creature got, the more agile it became it seemed, and its attacks became subsequently more difficult to avoid. And the slashing claws weren't the only things that Squall had to watch out for. The monster also had a spiked tail that it used like a mace.

Parrying the behemoth's clawed attack, Squall managed to find another opening and charged in, scoring a good hit on its already injured neck, employing the pulse ammo loaded into the gunblade's magazine once again to good effect. The monster countered with a tail-swipe that Squall narrowly avoided by diving to the side and rolling to his feet.

The monster staggered, weakened by Squall's last attack, but kept after him. He easily avoided the creature's subsequent attempts to gore or slash at him, and finally saw a good opening and darted in to deliver the final blow, ramming his gunblade deeply into the base of the beast's bull neck, releasing a fountain of purple-black blood. The behemoth collapsed with a roar of pain, dying. Squall jerked his gunblade free and ducked the creature's convulsive twitches as it fought its inevitable demise, walking around it calmly to wrap things up with his crew lead.

Eric was shaking his head as he approached Squall, meeting him halfway. "Boss, we're glad to have you here, but man, you make us all look like first year cadets."

Squall shrugged, "You guys could have handled it if three of you hadn't been injured. I'll have to talk to those guys to see what went wrong."

Eric snorted, "Oh, just admit it already! You're a badass!"

"Whatever." Squall replied. Eric laughed at Squall's standard response and started to retort, when he saw movement from the monster behind Squall.

Eric's look of horror was the only warning Squall had. He immediately whirled, gunblade automatically at guard, and only just deflected what might otherwise have been a killing blow from the behemoth's spiked tail. The dying creature's blow lacked power due to its weakened state, but was still strong enough to send Squall, who was already off-balance, flying. He did his best to control his landing to minimize injury but still landed awkwardly, hitting his head. Pain exploded behind his eyes before he was sent tumbling into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes: Okay! I will admit I did have a little difficulty with this chapter, because i wanted it to be both sweet, awkward and a just a little bit matter -of -fact...as one's first time having sex typically is. Hopefully I didn't gross anybody out, and of course the level of detail is a bit of a challenge too as i didn't want to get TOO explicit.
> 
> And yes, darn it, another evil cliffhanger. Now you're just gonna have to wait to see what happens next. ;)


	8. Chapter 8

Rinoa shifted and rolled over onto her side, burying her head into her pillow, attempting to drift back to sleep. An insistent ringing noise cut through the siren song of sleep however, the same insistent, never-ending noise that had roused her from the blissful slumber she'd been enjoying. Growling under her breath, she groped blindly for the source, discovering it to be the phone on the lamp table next to the bed.

Fumbling with the receiver, she finally got it situated more or less where it was supposed to be and rolled onto her back, mumbling, "Wha..?"

"Good morning, Miss Heartilly. This is your seven-thirty A. M. wake up call. Is there anything that you'd like to order for your breakfast?" The voice on the other end of the line said, far too cheerily for that hour.

"I requested a wake up call?" she asked muzzily, finally blinking her eyes open.

"Yes, ma'am. Would you like to order your breakfast now or wait until later?" the caller asked politely.

Rinoa blinked several times, sleepy brain finally waking up and forming somewhat coherent thought. She'd requested the wake up call so that she'd have time to shower, eat, pack, and get ready to catch her flight back to Deling City. A memory struck her then and she frowned, quickly turning to look at the other side of the bed, confirming what she had suspected.

Squall hadn't returned.

She swallowed hard at the lump that formed in her throat then, eyes stinging. He'd said he'd be back. That he wanted to see her off at the airport. That he wanted to see her again. _So why was she still alone?_

"Miss Heartilly? Would you like to order breakfast now or wait until later?" the voice on the other end of the line repeated.

"N…now." She said, somehow managing to keep her voice steady.

"What would you like?" the caller asked warmly.

"Coffee. With sugar and cream. Eggs, sausage and fruit." Rinoa answered dully. Her stomach reminded her that it was empty but she truly didn't have much desire for food. Still, she had to eat.

"What type of fruit? Melons and strawberries are in season right now," the caller said.

"Melon, strawberries and…. and grapes." Rinoa replied.

"And how do you like your eggs?" He asked.

"Scrambled." Rinoa answered.

"Thank you Miss Heartilly. We'll have that up in about thirty minutes. Is there anything else that I can help you with?" The man asked, preparing to end the call.

Rinoa hesitated, wanting to ask where Squall was before realizing that this person may not even know. And she had no idea who else to call to find out, or even if she should _try_. She didn't want to come off as a needy, clingy, stalker-ish person. Just because they'd had sex- _great_ sex, at least as far as Rinoa's limited experience could tell- didn't mean he owed her anything. Still, it would have been nice to at least be able to say good-bye to him.

Finally she answered, "No, thank you. I'm fine."

The caller politely rang off and Rinoa replaced the handset, rolling over to gaze forlornly at the empty side of the bed, heart aching. She _wasn't_ going to cry dammit. It was stupid. There were a million different reasons why he hadn't returned. Maybe he was still busy with whatever emergency had taken him away in the wee hours that morning. Maybe he was on his way back right now.

Without thinking, she reached over and pulled his pillow over to her, wrapping her arms around it and burying her face into it, inhaling deeply the scent- _his_ scent- that still clung to the fabric. She blinked away the moisture that seemed insistent upon accumulating in her eyes, sighing deeply and wishing with all her heart that he'd hurry back before she had to leave.

She kept hoping, even as she got up and showered, dressed, packed her clothes and ate her breakfast, though she scarcely tasted it. As the time drew near for her to leave that hope gradually faded to be replaced with disappointment.

She wouldn't believe that he'd simply forgotten or had been unwilling to see her off. She hadn't been able to see his expression or anything in the darkness that morning, but his voice had sounded sincere. She had no reason to believe otherwise, and if he was playing her false, then he was a damn good actor. But that kiss… that last kiss…

 _That_ had been real. What she'd felt in that kiss… _that_ had been genuine.

A knock sounded at the door. It was the bellman; there to carry her bags back downstairs to the lobby. There was no more time. She had to leave.

Before she did however, she snatched up the notepad on the lamp table and scrawled down her phone number and address, tearing the page off the pad and tucking it under his phone. If he wanted to see her again, he would call her. And if he didn't? Well then she at least got a pleasant memory to go home with.

"Did you enjoy your stay?" Danton, the driver, asked her as they pulled away from the resort.

Rinoa sighed, watching the resort gradually diminish as they drove away.

Finally she answered, a trifle sadly, "Yes. I wish I didn't have to leave."

The driver smiled at her through the rearview mirror and replied, "Well, then you'll just have to come see us again sometime."

"Yeah, maybe." Rinoa sighed. She wished she could, but a single weekend at the spa was far more than she could afford. And that was _without_ the concierge service included. She hadn't wanted to know what _that_ had cost so had deliberately avoided looking it up.

She hadn't wanted to think about the fact that he'd essentially been _paid_ to have sex with her. It was almost insulting, until the logical part of her mind argued that fee or not, if he didn't want to do it, he had the right to refuse. Which he _had_ done at first. Squall had been quite clear on his right to decline his hire if he didn't want to go through with it.

So, paid or not, he had been a willing and even eager participant in their tryst.

And his hesitant admission that he'd like to see her again? That hinted that his interest in her had nothing at all to do with money. That it was the furthest thing from his mind in that moment. Rinoa wondered, because of his almost shy delivery of that sentiment, if he'd ever done that before. She suspected that he hadn't, that he'd simply taken care of his clients needs and moved on.

She also wondered if she was reading too much into what he'd said and done, and was falling prey to wishful, magical thinking.

"Miss Heartilly? We're here." The driver's voice broke into her thoughts, bringing her back to the here and now.

"Thank you Danton." Rinoa said absently as he politely opened the door and helped her out.

Retrieving her luggage from the boot of the car, Danton smiled down at her as he handed one of her smaller cases to her, saying, "I'm glad you enjoyed your stay with us. I hope you'll be able to pay us another visit."

"I hope so too." Rinoa said, gathering up her belongings and preparing to enter the airport.

"Have a safe flight." He said, sketching a wave at her before returning to the limousine.

"Thank you," Rinoa said, smiling slightly at the man before entering the airport and making her way to the gate she was departing from.

She waited alone for her flight to be boarded, and tried not to feel completely bereft. She wasn't expecting roses and forever from him, dammit. What right had she to expect that he'd even want to say good-bye? And even if he _did_ want to, it was much too late now. Her flight was due to be called any minute. It was unrealistic to even hope for some sort of last-minute, dramatic, romantic gesture from him.

It didn't stop a tiny, sneaky little wish from hiding in the back of her mind that he _would_.

It was with a deep sense of regret then that Rinoa finally boarded her flight and flew home to Deling City.

If he _truly_ wanted to see her again, he had only to call her. She'd left him her number after all. The next move was his.

* * *

The first thing Squall gradually became aware of was pain. That wasn't new to him; he'd woken up in pain on more than one occasion in his relatively short life. His body felt bruised and battered and his head…. his head felt twice, no _three_ times its normal size and throbbed with each beat of his heart.

 _Head injury,_ he thought, and almost cried out when the pain threatened to smother him in a black-red haze. Okay. No thinking. Thinking _bad_.

As bad as the pain was when he attempted to form a coherent thought, Squall really wasn't anticipating the results when he opened his eyes. He tried anyway, cautiously cracking them open and immediately shutting them again with a groan. The light was too bright and hazy, and there were two fuzzy humanoid shapes where he knew only one actually existed. Nope. He wasn't opening his eyes again, not unless he wanted to throw up next.

"So, you're awake. How do you feel?" A familiar voice asked him.

He didn't want to answer, the effort to find the words and string them together into an understandable sentence had his head pounding fit to burst.

Finally he mumbled dully, eyes still closed, "Like pounded shit."

"Not much different from how you look," the voice snorted.

"Fuck you, Marti." Squall retorted. Pounded shit was actually inaccurate, he thought, as his head continued to throb, the pain making him queasy. It actually felt more like he'd inexplicably chugged down a liter of one hundred proof rotgut whisky coupled with being trampled by an entire herd of wild mesmerize.

"Well, that's good to hear," the voice said on a sigh, relief obvious in her voice.

"What're you talkin' bout?" Squall asked her, frowning at the slight slurring in his speech. Shit. He must have hit his head _really_ hard.

"You were out for six hours. We were starting to worry that you wouldn't wake up at all and flew you out to Esthar Memorial's Trauma Center." The woman explained.

Six hours? He'd been unconscious for _six hours_? For some reason that was significant but he couldn't think around the pain to recall why.

The sound of a door opening had him turning his head quickly in that direction automatically, sending a spike of pain through the center of his cranium and pulling a pungent curse from his lips.

"So you're finally awake. You had us a little worried."

Squall cracked his eyes open again and squinted at the blurred, white-clad forms that he guessed was probably the doctor. His spinning head coupled with the double vision forced him to close his eyes again before he threw up.

"Do you remember your name?"

Squall had to think about that for a moment, a fact that disturbed him a little. Finally he answered, "Squall. Squall Leonhart."

"Good. Do you know what day it is?" The doctor asked him.

Squall sighed. Too many questions. They were making his head hurt more.

"Monday?" he hazarded.

"Good enough. How are you feeling?" the doctor asked.

Marti answered for him, smirking, "like pounded shit, according to him."

"I see. Well, can you be a little more specific Mr. Leonhart? Judging by your reaction when you opened your eyes just now, I'm guessing you're experiencing doubled vision. What else are you feeling?" the doctor asked.

Squall had to concentrate in order to form the words to respond coherently. It was hard to do through the pounding headache.

"Head hurts. I feel…. spinning. Dizzy. I feel dizzy. Sick. Pounded shit isn't right. Feel more like I drank a liter of rotgut and got my ass kicked." Squall replied weakly.

"Is that a typical weekend for you?" The doctor asked, amused.

"No. I hate hangovers." Squall answered.

"He's a former mercenary," Marti added dryly. "He won't get into fights he's not getting paid for."

"I see." The doctor said, approaching Squall's bed. "I need you to open your eyes, Mr. Leonhart."

Reluctantly, Squall did as directed, unable to suppress a groan as the doctor shone a small penlight into each eye. The light sent shards of pain through his skull and intensified his nausea. Fortunately that was the only thing that the doctor wanted to do at that point and Squall gratefully closed his eyes again.

"Well, you've got a pretty good concussion. Fortunately for you, no skull fractures and the scan didn't turn up any sub-cranial bleeding. Just a bit of bruising on the brain and some slight swelling, which would account for why you were unconscious for so long." The doctor said, adding, "I'd like you to stay here for observation for the next few days, then we can re-evaluate your status. Right now, all I want you to do is rest as much as you can. I can give you something for the pain but there will be nurses checking on you periodically to make sure you don't lapse into a coma. Do you have someone you want us to call for you?"

"Sister." Squall answered. Something cool seemed to seep outward from his left arm, and he guessed that he'd been given an IV and the doctor had just administered the promised pain medication through it. As his pounding headache dulled, he silently blessed the man.

"I'll call her." Marti said.

"Thank you." Squall mumbled. His battered body was suddenly craving sleep and it was dragging him into darkness again.

Marti watched him relax back into unconsciousness, only this time it was the unconsciousness of sleep. It still worried her though. He'd been out for so long that they'd had time to fly him here and get him scanned. She was more than a little relieved to learn that his injuries weren't quite as bad as she and everyone else had feared. Still, they were bad enough that he hadn't protested when she'd said she'd call Ellone. If he'd been feeling at all normal, he'd have refused. He wouldn't have wanted to worry her.

"He'll be okay, right?" She asked the doctor. She actually rather liked Squall, despite his attitude and peculiar temperament. It didn't hurt that despite his selectivity with regard to his clients, he was still a serious draw. It was those icy, distant, turquoise-blue eyes of his. They seized you and drew you in, compelling you to try to unravel the mystery that hid behind them.

And despite his remote, aloof manner, his clients still left fully satisfied. Apparently, he took whatever job he was hired to do, seriously.

"So far we haven't seen anything to be concerned with, we just need him here for observation and rest for a few days. He's had his bell rung pretty well, otherwise he strikes me as the sort that would prefer to be anywhere else but here." The doctor answered.

"On his own behalf perhaps. He'd spent a lot of time here with his sister while she was ill." Marti commented. Another mystery about the man; he appeared to care little for anyone else, didn't seem to form any close attachments with anyone, yet he was endearingly devoted to the woman he called his sister. Near as she could figure it that was all she was to him; certainly there was no evidence of anything but familial affection between the two.

"I see. Do you have her contact information?" the doctor asked.

Marti nodded. "I'll call her."

"Good. We'll keep an eye on him in the meantime. Are you a friend of his?" the doctor asked, curiously.

"Sort of. He's an employee, but I'd like to think of him as a friend as well." Marti answered.

"Well, the thing he needs most now is rest, so let's leave him to it, shall we?" the doctor said, not-so-subtly suggesting that Marti leave along with him.

Marti nodded in agreement, knowing the man was right, and followed him out the door.

* * *

When the plane started its descent into Deling City International Airport, Rinoa suddenly wanted to cry. That urge, seemingly coming out of nowhere, confused her until she realized that it was because she'd officially arrived home, and Squall was officially half a world away. Even though he'd said that he wanted to see her again, she didn't see how that was possible. One does not simply board a plane to fly to the other side of the world on a whim.

Despite what he'd said, Rinoa didn't think she'd ever see him again.

It was time to return to her normal life and try to forget about him, if she could. It would be difficult; despite the brief time they'd spent together, he had made an impression on her. She wondered if she had done the same for him.

"Rin! Rinoa! Over here!" Selphie waved at her as she exited the jet way. Rinoa made her way over and the two girls fell into a warm embrace.

"Oh, I'm sooo glad you're back!" Selphie said, falling into step beside Rinoa as she made her way to the baggage claim area. Biting her lip, she added, "Um, I hope you aren't mad we sent you to that place. We didn't really catch on what it was until it was too late. You didn't... Have any trouble there with that guy we hired, did you? 'Cause I mean, you _have_ to know we wouldn't have done that to you on purpose…"

"No, I didn't have any trouble with him. And I know you didn't do it on purpose." Rinoa assured her while they were waiting for her luggage to come out.

Selphie sighed heavily in relief, "Oh, good. I thought for sure you'd call me as soon as you learned what it was all about there and when you didn't I figured you were so mad you weren't speaking to me anymore. Oh, Rinoa, I'm SO sorry I did that to you…"

"It's okay Selphie. I didn't call because I forgot to charge my phone and I couldn't find the damn charger. I think I left it home." Rinoa said.

"So…. um… did you have fun?" Selphie asked, eyes bright.

A small, secret smile curled Rinoa's lips and she answered, "Yes, I did."

Selphie's eyes narrowed at Rinoa's smile, then sprang open wide and she gasped, "You didn't!"

"I did." Rinoa confirmed, smile turning soft and wistful.

"Oh my gosh! _Really_? You really did it? With…with _him_?" Selphie exclaimed, putting her hand over her mouth for a moment before gasping, "Oh, you've got to tell me! Was he as good as he looked? He _had_ to be good, right? He was a professional! My gosh, he was so _hot_! I'm so jealous right now that your first time happened to be with a guy _that_ sexy! You know how lucky you are?"

Rinoa sighed, grateful for the interruption of her bags finally coming down the carousel to her. She grabbed one and Selphie grabbed the other and they made their way through the bustling throngs in the airport to the exit.

"Rinoa?" Selphie asked, concerned when the silence stretched without an answer from her. "You _did_ enjoy it, right?"

"Yes. It was wonderful." _HE was wonderful…_ Rinoa answered, adding with a sigh, "It was so beautiful there, I didn't want to leave."

Selphie's smile turned sympathetic as she realized that Rinoa's slightly melancholy mood stemmed from having to come back to the real world after living a fantasy for two and a half days.

"I know what you mean. It's always kind of a letdown coming back to reality after a vacation like _that_." Selphie replied, adding, "I'm going to have to save up my pennies. Now I _really_ want to try that place out for myself. Maybe I'll see if your guy, what was his name? Squall? Maybe I'll see if he's available."

That sent a stab of pain right through Rinoa's heart. How could she have forgotten that the man's affections were for sale to the highest bidder? What a naïve fool she was. She wanted to kick herself for imagining that anything at all could come of their brief connection.

"Maybe," Rinoa said vaguely, following Selphie out of the terminal toward the parking lot. "But he only does it part time." She shivered slightly, having forgotten that it was still mid-March and the weather had turned cold in her absence.

Taking a deep breath and firmly shoving away the disturbing thought of Squall having sex with Selphie…or anyone else, for that matter…she abruptly changed the subject by asking, "How's Angelo? Was she good for you?"

"Of course she was. She'll be happy to see you though." Selphie said, unlocking the door to her car when they reached it. Hitting the button under the dashboard to pop open the trunk, she helped Rinoa stow her baggage and they both got into her car.

Starting up the engine and backing out of the parking space, Selphie commented, "You look lovely by the way. I love those highlights."

"Thanks. Where's Quistis? I thought you'd both be here to meet me." Rinoa asked.

"She had to work. Something came up and she couldn't get away." Selphie answered her as they drove through the city to Rinoa's apartment. "But hey, meet up with us at Docksiders after work on Friday and we'll catch up then. Then you can give us both the down and dirty details of your weekend."

"Selphie…" Rinoa protested.

"Aww…come on! Please? I'm dying to know and I'm sure Quistis would be also, no matter how hard she'd try to pretend otherwise. I mean, jeez, I think she was actually _drooling_ over a picture of your concierge- slash- self-defense instructor." Selphie replied, just a hair away from actually begging.

Rinoa sighed, "All right. I'll meet you guys on Friday night."

"Great!" Selphie grinned at her as they pulled up to Rinoa's apartment building.

Popping the trunk again and grabbing a bag, she helped Rinoa bring her luggage up to her apartment, saying, "I just walked her about an hour or so ago, so Angelo should be fine, but you may want to take her out to the dog park and play with her for a bit. I'm sure she misses you."

"Okay. I miss her too. It's going to feel so weird going in to work tomorrow," Rinoa sighed.

"I don't blame you." Selphie said as Rinoa unlocked and opened the door to be greeted by Angelo's thunderous barks and happy whines. The shepherd mix bounded up to her, stubby tail wagging her entire rear end, and Rinoa dropped to one knee and buried her hands in the dog's ruff, closing her eyes and smiling as Angelo licked her face happily.

"Yup, she definitely missed you." Selphie laughed.

"Well, I missed her too," Rinoa said, punctuating the statement by hugging the dog close and giving it a quick peck on the end of its nose.

Selphie set down the bag she'd been holding and said, "I'd better be going. If I don't see you before Friday, I'll give you a call."

"All right Selphie, talk to you later." Rinoa said, standing up to give her friend a brief hug before she left.

After closing the door behind her, Rinoa picked up her bags and took them into her bedroom to unpack and put them away. She then tossed the clothes she needed to wash into the hamper. Upon completing that task, she left her bedroom with a sigh and grabbed Angelo's lead, her favorite toy, and some waste bags. The dog pricked up its ears, noticing Rinoa's actions, and began dancing excitedly, tail stump wagging furiously.

"Come on Angelo," Rinoa said, attaching the lead to the dog's collar when it came up to her. She detoured briefly to the kitchen to snatch a handful of the dog's favorite treats on her way out the door.

* * *

Gentle hands, stroking his hair, tracing his face, started dredging him up from where he'd been cocooned, comfortably drifting in a half-remembered dream. Or perhaps it was a memory. If so, it was a good one involving velvety white skin and soft lips.

As he drifted closer to the light, more bits and snatches of his dream or memory came to him. Warm brown eyes. Silky black hair. The scent of roses….. A name…

"Rinoa," He whispered on a thread of sound, not realizing he'd said it aloud.

The hand stroking his brow froze, and a voice asked, "Rinoa? Who's that?"

Squall opened his eyes, recognizing the voice and frowned. His head still hurt abominably, but fortunately the double vision appeared to have subsided as only one Ellone sat at his bedside.

"Who's what?" he asked her.

"You whispered a name just now, as you were waking up." Ellone answered, tilting her head and studying him with a curious expression on her face. She moved the hand that had been caressing his brow down to where Squall's hand rested on the bed, wrapping her fingers around it and squeezing gently.

"Oh," Squall said and closed his eyes for a moment, knitting his brows as he tried to remember. Pain speared through his head and he groaned.

Ellone hastened to lean forward and caress his brow again, urging him, "Don't stress yourself. Just relax. It's okay if you don't remember; it'll come to you. The doctor told me your memory might be a little hazy for a little while. Don't worry about it."

Squall looked away and sighed, "Sorry."

"About what?" Ellone asked, curiously.

"For worrying you. Again."

"It's okay Squall. It's what you do, I get that. Yes, I was scared when Marti called me, but she didn't sound worried and neither did the doctor when I talked to him. And to be fair, this doesn't happen to you very often." Ellone said, smiling reassuringly at him. "And it's only monsters. Animals. Yes, they're trying to kill you but only out of instinct, not actual malice. Not like when you were a SeeD. I guess I'm glad that you left it when you found me."

Squall met her eyes and smiled slightly. "I'm glad you're here. If I'd been in my right mind I'd have refused to have you called. But…"

Ellone took his hand again and felt better when he squeezed hers back. "You needed me. It's okay to admit that. It's okay to need someone once in awhile. That doesn't make you weak, it makes you human."

"You're right of course. But then, you usually are." Squall said.

"You put too much faith in me Squall. I'm not perfect." Ellone replied.

"Neither am I."

Ellone sighed, studying him. "You've come so far in two years. I barely recognized you then. So hard. So cold. So unlike the baby brother I remembered. But he's still there in your eyes. The life you've led hasn't managed to kill him yet and I'm glad of it."

"Me too." Squall glanced down at their joined hands, frowning at the IV that led into a vein on the back of his hand. He'd have to have it removed. He wasn't an invalid.

Looking into her face, Squall asked her, "How are you feeling? You look tired."

"I'm fine. Getting stronger every day. How about you?" she asked.

He smiled slightly, "the same. Mostly anyway. It's still Monday, isn't it?"

Ellone nodded, then laughed softly. "Aren't we a pair?"

Squall's soft laughter joined hers, "I suppose so. Just you and me sis. Like it's always been."

Ellone's expression turned sad, thinking of the years that had passed between then and now, "Not really, no. But…almost."

"Yeah."

They fell silent for a moment, the Ellone asked him, "That name you whispered earlier… it was a girl's name, right?"

Squall frowned, thinking, and then answered, "Yes, it was."

"Was she the girl you were with this weekend? Your client?" Ellone asked him, curiosity deepening. He'd never mentioned any of his clients by name before. Something to do with confidentiality or something, she supposed.

"Yes," Squall answered, then frowned. That wasn't right. "No…I don't… I don't remember. I don't think so."

"She must have made an impression on you." Ellone said, smiling secretly. She found it interesting that he couldn't rightly remember of the girl had been his client or not. He'd told her that she was when she'd called him, if in fact it was the same person. She didn't see how it could be anyone else. Squall never booked more than one woman on any given weekend.

Squall didn't answer, frustrated by his inability to clearly recall that weekend. He knew it was because of his concussion that he could only remember it in bits and snatches. He had only brief impressions, flashes of her smiling at him, of him kissing her, of the feel of her in his arms, her body beneath his. She might have been his client but for some reason he didn't think so.

He sighed, feeling as though he'd somehow insulted the girl, Rinoa, by not clearly recalling the time they'd spent together.

"I'd better go. It's getting close to the end of visiting hours. They're going to send a nurse up here at any moment to kick me out." Ellone said, drawing Squall's attention back to her.

"All right. I guess I'm going to be stuck here for the next few days, so I won't be able to go to your appointment with you after all. Not unless I'm actually ambulatory by then and they let me travel as far as the oncology center." Squall said wryly.

"Don't strain yourself. The thing that's going to put you right and unscramble your brains faster than anything else is rest. I'll come up here afterward and give you a full report, okay?" Ellone assured him.

He nodded in acceptance. "Alright."

Ellone leaned over then and wrapped her arms around him carefully in a hug, resting a portion of her weight upon his chest and pressing her cheek against his. He wrapped his arms around her in turn and held her, closing his eyes and inhaling her scent. It had changed, and for the better, he thought, recalling clearly the wrongness he'd smelled on her as she'd battled the leukemia that threatened her life. He couldn't clearly describe how he could tell the difference; he just knew that her scent now was clear of any illness.

And her hair had started to grow back, though it was still so short that she looked like she'd opted for a crew cut as her new hairstyle. But she'd gained weight and the color had come back into her cheeks, and to Squall, there was only one woman that he thought was more beautiful…

The woman in his half-remembered dreams. The woman whose name he'd whispered, whom he couldn't clearly recall, yet didn't want to forget. Rinoa.

She pressed her lips firmly against his cheek and whispered, "I love you Squall. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I love you too sis." He replied, kissing her as well. She pulled away then and smiled at him, then squeezed his hand one more time before she left.

A nurse's assistant came soon after with his dinner, and he sighed at the thought of eating it. The medication that he was given fortunately worked quickly, such that the nausea caused by his headache subsided; at least to the point that he felt confident enough to give it a try. And while the food was bland and virtually tasteless, it also didn't offend him or his touchy stomach, and thus stayed down.

When the aide came back later to take his mostly empty plate, Squall asked him, "Do you know how long this IV has to be in me? I'm not an invalid, I can swallow pills and I've actually eaten my dinner and so far it hasn't made a reappearance."

"Well, just for tonight, leave it in. The kind of medication they have you on for pain works best intravenously. I'll relay what you've said to the doctor though. He'll be in tomorrow to check on you anyway." The aide answered, and then added, "You _are_ looking a little more alert though. No more double vision?" When Squall shook his head— _carefully_ \- in the negative, the aide responded, "Well, I'll let the doctor know. In the meantime, rest as much as you can."

Squall sighed when the aide left, wondering what to do next. His head still hurt, the throbbing dulled but not eliminated by the drugs coursing through is bloodstream. He wasn't tired, but he wasn't actually all that alert either. The pain meds apparently had a soporific side effect, which left him drowsy but not enough to sleep.

The resultant dopey haze left him feeling frustrated and annoyed. He couldn't sleep, was in fact feeling stiff from lying motionless for so long on battered and strained muscles. He couldn't watch TV, finding it hard to concentrate on anything. If he could get out of bed at all he'd just leave. He had more than enough healing elixirs in his apartment to deal with his injuries, but instead he was stuck in a hospital.

Maybe he could convince Elle to go over to his place and bring him one of them.

Eventually, he _did_ sleep, drifting in and out of dreams, nightmares and memories. And as sleep healed him, his memories became clearer.

Ellone came to see him daily, something that he deeply appreciated. They both silently acknowledged that after he'd spent so long at her bedside during her illness, she now had the opportunity to do the same for him and was more than happy to do so.

Squall meanwhile had managed to convince the doctor to remove the IV and other tubes that had been poked into various, disconcerting orifices. Of course, his first attempt to become ambulatory after that did not come off as well as he'd thought it would, and he found that he needed to lean heavily upon the aide that was required to be there just in case.

His head spun and ached abominably, and he felt more than a little wobbly, a fact that made a short trip to the bathroom a protracted ordeal. Certainly, it helped him gain a new appreciation for lying comfortably in bed while everything seemed to spin around him.

Once he reached his bed he lay back with a sigh, taking the medications that the aide gave him without protest. It always amazed him that the medical personnel working with him seemed to assume that he'd be a difficult patient, when in fact the opposite was true. He didn't land in the hospital often, but when he did he was smart enough not to protest or fight.

It wouldn't improve his situation and the nurses, aides, orderlies and doctors were there to help and to heal, not to harm. Therefore it made no sense to be obstinate. So he put up with the various indignities that came along with a hospital stay with as much good grace as he could muster, knowing that it was all for his benefit ultimately.

Though he could have done without the sponge baths. Particularly the ones administered by…

"Carl." Squall sighed. In every naughty fantasy ever envisioned, the nurses were cute, and sponge baths were given by scantily clad, sexy candy stripers. NOT a six foot eight black behemoth of a man that looked like he'd do better as a bouncer in a dive bar.

"It's that time agin my man," Carl grinned at him, teeth flashing whitely in his mahogany face. "Can't have you funkin' up the place while your sistah's vistin' you."

"You're _way_ too happy to be doing this." Squall grumbled.

The man chuckled, "I know, I know. But until you can stand upright for more than five minutes without falling over, I'm what you got."

"Fine. Let's get it over with." Squall said.

It wasn't that Carl was rough, far from it. In fact he was surprisingly gentle in his ministrations. It was simply the fact that getting such _extremely_ personal attention from a man nearly twice his size was more than a little disconcerting. Squall wondered again why they found it necessary to assign such a large man to be his attendant.

"Have I …done something to scare people here?" Squall asked the man curiously.

Carl paused, wringing water out of the cloth he was using, then shook his head, "Naw man. You've been cool."

"Then what's the deal with everyone here? I mean, you're packing _way_ too much muscle to just be a nurse's aide." Squall commented.

"Turn over, I gotta get your back," Carl instructed, chuckling at Squall's grumble as he did so. Then he answered Squall, "It's because you're SeeD. They got one look at that badge on your arm, the scars all over your body, and decided it'd be best to have some muscle about, just in case."

"In case what?" Squall frowned.

"Well, let's just say you ain't the first soldier that's come through here with his bell rung. And some guys, they wake up not knowing where they are? They get downright dangerous. Takes a bit of muscle to hold 'em down 'till they's brains catches up with the rest of 'em." Carl answered him.

"Oh. Well, I'm not a SeeD anymore." Squall said.

Carl shook his head, "Once a SeeD, always a SeeD. It's instinct. Can't get away from it completely. Turn back."

Squall shifted to lie on his back again and frowned thoughtfully at that. To a certain extent, it was true. Certainly he'd trained to be a SeeD from childhood, to the point that it _was_ in fact instinct.

"Now, you want to handle your boys or shall I? I'll treat 'em just like they was my own." Carl said, grinning at him.

"That's what I'm afraid of. Give me that." Squall said, reaching for the cloth.

Carl chuckled and handed it over. Squall took care of what he needed to, and handed the cloth back. He really could not wait until he was able to actually take a shower on his own. He understood, truthfully, why they couldn't allow him to do it at the moment, even with the grab rails in the shower. It would only take one slip to put him in as bad or even worse shape than when he'd first arrived.

"You wanna shave or go scruff?" Carl asked him.

Squall scratched at his roughened cheeks and answered, " I guess I'd better shave."

"You wanna try it yourself?" Carl asked.

"Yeah," Squall said, sat up, swore angrily as his head spun and lay back down. "No."

Carl grimaced sympathetically and said, "I got you man. Don't worry. Just hold still."

Squall sighed and did as directed; relaxing as much as he was able while Carl shaved him. He did his best not to give in to frustration, knowing that his current situation was temporary. And he _did_ feel better once all was said and done; despite the awkwardness inherent in the duties Carl was performing.

"There ya go. All done." Carl said, wiping Squall's face off. "And it looks good, if I do say so myself."

"Thanks, that's one less thing Elle needs to worry about I guess." Squall replied.

The aide packed up his supplies and prepared to leave, saying, "Now, you rest up and don't fret yourself about all this man, and before you know it, you won't need me to help you out anymore. Alright?"

"All right." Squall sighed. Carl grinned at him good-humouredly and left.

Ellone came in shortly thereafter and smiled at him, "Well, you look spiffy. Feeling better?"

"A little bit. Still get dizzy when I try to do anything besides impersonate a houseplant though." Squall said wryly.

"How's that working out for you?" Ellone asked, eyes sparkling.

"The geraniums are getting suspicious and I'm pretty sure that fern over there's onto me." Squall answered seriously. Ellone laughed and bent down to kiss him on the forehead.

Taking his hand, she sat down next to him and said, smiling, "Well you _must_ be feeling a little better. A display of humor from you is an incredibly rare occurrence under any circumstances."

"How'd your appointment go?" Squall asked her, changing the subject.

"Fine." Ellone smiled. Squall waited, then frowned at her.

"That's it? _Fine?_ That's all you're going to tell me? Come on Ellone," Squall said in exasperation. " What's the rest of it?"

Ellone sighed, "I know what you want Squall and quite honestly, I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to. I can't remember all that stuff. That's why I've asked Dr. Barosian to come up and tell you herself. She'll be here in a few minutes."

"All right," Squall sighed.

The doctor arrived a short time later; smiling at seeing him in the same position his sister had been in for far too long previously.

"Well, this is a switch," The doctor commented. "What put _you_ here?"

"Got knocked ass over teakettle by a behemoth." Ellone answered her.

The doctor quirked her eyebrow up and said, "I thought you knew how to dodge."

"I do," Squall said, nettled. "I just didn't dodge fast enough this time."

"Well, from what I hear it could have been worse." The doctor replied. Squall shrugged in reply.

"Ellone has asked me to give you an update on her condition. And as I know you, Mr. Leonhart, being of a military mind, would like a full, factual report, then here it is: She's fine." The doctor said, giving Ellone a conspiratorial wink.

Squall folded his arms across his chest and put on his best intimidation glare, the effect only slightly lessened by the fact that he was lying down.

The doctor exchanged an amused glance with Ellone, commenting, "My, that's a stern look. Shall I elaborate?"

"Please." Squall answered dryly.

"All right then, hopefully your brains aren't too scrambled to understand this." The doctor said.

Squall declined a response, instead simply gesturing with his hand for the doctor to continue.

"White and red cell counts are in normal ranges. Nothing unusual there. Likewise with blood chemistry in general. No abnormal cells have been detected and overall, Ellone's health is steadily improving. We'll keep checking periodically, but if she's cancer free after five years, you can call her cured. As for right now, we'll say she's in remission and hope that it stays that way for a good long time." The doctor smiled at him and added, "In other words, no change from six months ago. And hopefully, six, twelve, eighteen months down the road as well."

Squall let out a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Yes, the news from six months ago had been good but he already knew how quickly things could turn with something like this. He'd seen it far too many times with other patients in the oncology center. He tried not to let it affect him, but he wasn't made of stone. Particularly with a patient whose case bore too close a resemblance to Ellone's. It was impossible _not_ to identify with that person and make their fight _his_ fight…. and if they lost…. It was impossible not to think that Ellone might share their fate.

Squall had done his best while Ellone was ill to be her solid bulwark of strength, to be someone she could lean on. All the while, hiding his fears and anxieties on her behalf, and dealing with them the best way he could on his own. Now, finally, he could lay those fears, those anxieties to rest.

Ellone didn't _need_ him anymore. At least, not in the way that she'd needed him while she'd been ill. It left him feeling as though a weight had been lifted from his back; he felt lighter, free…almost buoyant. It was an incredible relief to him.

Reaching for Ellone's hand, he squeezed it gently, saying, "That's very good to hear doctor. Thank you."

* * *

"Hey! Rinoa! Over here!" Selphie was waving to her from across the bar. Rinoa made her way through the establishment, skirting tables and servers to arrive at the table that Quistis and Selphie had appropriated for themselves.

"About time you got here." Quistis smiled at her. "We were just about to order dinner without you."

"So what's good tonight?" Rinoa asked them, gazing around the nautically themed bar and grill.

"Chowder's fresh," Selphie answered. "And they've got a great green salad to go along with it."

"Sounds good. Just what I need to shake off the chill." Rinoa said, taking her coat off and sitting down. The cold snap had continued and today at least, had included rain.

A server showed up soon after Rinoa sat down and they all ordered their soup and salads. Quistis ordered white wine with her dinner, Selphie had a beer, and Rinoa, still feeling a bit chilled after the tropical warmth of Esthar, opted for coffee.

While they waited on their orders, Quistis smiled over at her, "I'm glad we could get together tonight, it's been a crazy week, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, it felt weird going back to work Tuesday. Made the week pass all the quicker I guess." Rinoa said, sipping at her coffee.

"Sorry I didn't meet your plane when you came in Monday. So how was your trip?" Quistis asked her.

Rinoa smiled wistfully, and answered, "It was lovely there. So peaceful, and the gardens were gorgeous."

"So was your concierge. I am sorry by the way that we threw you into the lion's den, so to speak. We really didn't know what kind of resort it was when we sent you there," Quistis said apologetically.

"I know. Selphie said the same thing. It's okay." Rinoa replied.

"It worked out for Rin anyway, didn't it?" Selphie grinned at her. Rinoa nodded, cheeks turning pink.

"Wait, you mean…. you went ahead with the…. _entertainment_ part of the deal?" Quistis asked, aghast and truth be told, a little envious. Rinoa nodded again.

"She sure did! And I for one am dying to know the details! So spill it Rin! How was he?" Selphie asked her.

Rinoa hesitated, cheeks flaming even brighter, and Quistis frowned at Selphie, "Selphie! That's awfully personal!" Turning to Rinoa, she added, "Honestly! Look sweetie, as long as you enjoyed yourself and didn't feel pressured in any way, that's all that matters."

Rinoa smiled hesitantly and said, "I did. It was…. _he_ was… wonderful."

Quistis smiled gently at her, "Well that's good. From his profile, I had no idea what to expect, and when it turned out we hired him for more than just the self-defense instruction, I thought we'd really ruined it for you. So he wasn't…aggressive at all? He looks so intimidating…"

"No. He was actually very nice. He's tough, he really knew his self-defense stuff and was a really good instructor, but he's kind of got a sweet side too… and he was so gentle…." Rinoa said, sighing at the memories. It had been nearly a week since she'd returned home and she hadn't heard from Squall yet.

She kept telling herself she shouldn't expect that he'd call her; that she should just forget him and go on with her life. And she tried. But late at night as she got ready for bed, she'd remember…. his large, warm hands on her body, the way his lips felt against hers, the way his kisses tasted… And she'd ache for him, all over again.

"Well, I'm glad you had a good time, and that your first time was so special. That's wonderful that you have such a nice memory of him." Quistis said sincerely, beautiful blue eyes smiling serenely at her.

Selphie nodded and was about to add something when her phone caught her attention momentarily. She looked at it briefly, frowned slightly, then put it away. Rinoa's phone too distracted her for a moment, but the number displayed was unfamiliar to her so she disregarded it, figuring that whomever it was would leave her a voicemail and she could call them back later.

The remainder of the evening was spent catching up on the week, discussing how work and life was going for each of them. Rinoa for one was very glad of the time spent with her friends, and by the end of the night was very happy to have been able to go out with them.

It was late by the time she got home, and she was tired and getting ready to go to bed when she remembered the call she'd gotten earlier. It had in fact gone to voicemail, so she decided to check her messages to see who it was that had called her.

Her heart nearly stopped when the recorded message began however, with, _"…Um…hello Rinoa, this is Squall…. I'm sorry I wasn't able to see you off, and that it took so long for me to call you…"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry its taken me so long to post this, a bout with the flu last week left me down for the count. So, if this chapter's a little bit...ODD, just blame it on "flu brain" and my fever dreams...which is pretty much how Carl came into being. Don't ask. Really.
> 
> Meanwhile, I'm working hard at getting back on track, and hopefully will actually be able to finish this story by the end of the month. Plus of course my illustration project; currently working on a drawing for "the successor" and if you want to see the WIP, just check out my twitter page RoninAi. Hopefully it'll turn out okay...right now it's just a rough sketch and quite honestly, kind of sucks.
> 
> anyway, on to the next chapter so we can all see if Squall and Rinoa finally manage to get together and what comes of it...I can't wait...Oh. I guess that means I'd better write it, doesn't it?


	9. Chapter 9

Squall was finally going home. The doctor had given him a final examination and allowed his release, with the proviso that he remained on light duty for the next week at least. Ellone had done him the favor of bringing him some clean clothing, along with a small vial of healing elixir. Squall fully intended to take it so that if any lingering effects remained from his injury, they would be dealt with.

"Are you ready to go?"

Squall turned with a frown to reply to the statuesque redhead that had just entered, "Marti? I though you were just going to send one of the drivers down."

"As it happens, I had to come down to the city today anyway, so thought I'd save time and swing by to get you. I hope you don't mind." She answered.

"It's fine. I needed to talk to you anyway." Squall said as they walked out of his room. A nurse had been nice enough to provide him with a bag containing the clothing he'd been wearing when they'd brought him in, along with a small slip of paper with her name and phone number written on it, tucked into a fold of his jeans. He'd snorted quietly to himself upon discovering it.

Most of his belongings and personal effects had been accounted for, including his wallet, watch, and necklace and cell phone. Obviously however, his gunblade hadn't been brought in, and he'd yet to find out what had become of it. Hopefully Eric had picked it up and either brought it back to his apartment or had it locked in the armory at the resort until Squall could reclaim it.

"What did you need to talk to me about?" Marti asked him as they exited the hospital and headed for the garage where she'd parked.

"I'd like a leave of absence for about a week, starting tomorrow." Squall answered.

Marti paused as they reached her car to unlock it and get in, with Squall following suit on the passenger side.

Turning to study him for a moment, she raised an eyebrow and commented, "Well, the doctor did say you should be light duty for the next week anyway. Can't get much lighter duty than none at all." She started the engine and reversed out of the parking space.

"I also want you to take me off the concierge list." Squall stated.

Marti stopped the car and stared at him. "Why? Is this about last weekend? I heard you were pissed about getting a client when you were supposed to be off…" She put the car into gear and concentrated on getting them both out of the parking garage, brows knitted in concern.

She glanced over at him as they drove out onto the street and headed toward the resort, wondering at his sudden silence.

Finally Squall answered, "Yes. Partly, anyway."

"Well, I am sorry about that, but she'd requested you specifically and your schedule hadn't been updated when she finally booked her appointment. I understand it came off well in the end, she seemed happy enough when she left. There were no complaints that I'd heard of at any rate." Marti said.

"She didn't request me at all. It was a gift from her friends. But that's not why I want to be taken off the roster." Squall told her.

"Then why? I know it was a slow start for you at first, but you've done well with this and I can't keep ahead of the bookings now. You get far more inquiries than you can possibly handle, let me tell you." Marti said.

"I don't need to do it anymore. And I don't _want_ to do it anymore." Squall said, gazing out the window as they traveled.

Marti glanced over at him again, frowning slightly. As usual, his expression was unreadable, remote. Well, he'd told her at the outset that he didn't want to make a career out of the concierge gig, and truly, it wasn't a long-term type of job anyway. Oh, there were a few men that had been doing it for five years and more, but there were fewer still that made that a part of their lifestyle.

Finally Marti sighed, "Well, when you put it that way, then fine, I'll take you off."

"Thank you." Squall said.

"You'll disappoint many fans. Including the nurses back at the hospital. I had more than a few ask about your going rate." Marti chuckled.

Squall sighed, "I'd wondered why I kept getting asked about getting my blood work done to renew my license."

"When does it expire?" Marti asked him curiously.

"In two weeks if I don't turn in a clean report." Squall answered.

"I see. Well, if you change your mind, let me know." Marti said.

"I won't." Squall said.

He lapsed into silence, and Marti concentrated on her driving with a sigh. Small talk was never his forte anyway, she reflected ruefully. She went to turn on the radio and caught his eye, raising her eyebrows in inquiry. He shrugged indifferently, and she turned it on to her favorite station. Two years as her employee and she still had no idea what kind of music he liked. Squall Leonhart definitely liked to play his cards close to his vest.

Squall meanwhile used the time to sort through his memories. There were still some fuzzy gaps, but he remembered nearly everything now. He remembered that Rinoa Heartilly _had_ in fact been his client. At first. He remembered their first meeting. He remembered the second night, when they'd gone to dinner after Rinoa's spa day, and…Later. When he'd learned she was a virgin and refused to do anything further with her that night.

He remembered refusing his hire, refunding his fee. The source of his confusion regarding her status with him, since she ceased to be his client in that sense the moment he did that.

And then…. their last night together; showing her the sunset, and discovering the meteor shower together. Discovering more than just that, later on in his bed. He'd been careful to distinguish what he did as "just sex" and not romanticize it in their first abortive attempt…. but that night…. it wasn't "just sex" then.

He'd _made love_ with her.

What that could mean to him now, he didn't know. He'd been drawn to her from the beginning, but had tried not to get too caught up in what he was feeling because of the nature of his job. But now that didn't apply in this situation. She wasn't his client; and he wasn't her concierge.

He felt as if he'd left things undone. Unresolved. And he didn't know if that meant that he needed to end things properly between them and move on, or take the time he'd spent with her as the potential beginning of something he'd never had before. He only knew that he wanted to see her again. It was the only way he could find out what that potential could lead to.

But he had to find her first, and in order to do that he had to go to Deling City.

"We're here," Marti's voice broke into his thoughts.

Squall glanced over at her and nodded, "Thank you." He unbuckled his seat belt and opened the door, then paused for a moment. Returning his attention to Marti, he asked her, "Did you happen to notice if Eric or somebody picked up my gunblade?"

"No, I'm sorry." She answered.

Squall sighed, "I'll ask him then."

As he got out of the car, Marti asked, "What do you plan on doing for the next week?"

"I plan on flying out to Deling City tomorrow." Squall said.

"Tomorrow? But you've only just gotten back!" Marti said with a frown.

"There's…. something I need to do there." Squall told her vaguely, then sketched a wave at her and left.

She stared after him, then shook her head and got out of her car. She should have known better than to expect an actual answer to that question. Marti was convinced that if she looked up the word "enigmatic" in the dictionary, it would include a photo of Squall Leonhart.

* * *

When Squall entered his apartment, he was struck by how lifeless and dead it felt. He knew part of it was because it had been shuttered for an entire week so the air felt stale as a result. But even opening the glass door of his balcony to let in some fresh air did nothing to dispel the profound emptiness of the place.

He'd never before noticed that. He simply went about his business, did his job every day and every evening played with the financial markets in Galbadia and Esthar. Anything really to keep him occupied, keep his mind off of Ellone's illness and try to recover financially now that she was on the way to physical recovery. Aside from his clients, he spent his time completely alone, not even socializing with his co-workers.

He finally began to understand Ellone's concern for him. Up until now, his life had been completely empty, like his apartment. Like his heart. It was easier that way, much easier than trying to maintain a relationship, something that he'd never been terribly good at. The dangerous and rootless nature of his job as a SeeD certainly hadn't helped with that. Even those SeeDs that he'd grown up with fought alongside and graduated with were mere acquaintances at best. Avoiding social interaction had become a habit with him.

He'd spent so much time alone that he'd grown used to the loneliness that came with it. And while the occasional client did help to dispel that a bit, it was _work._ He had to behave a certain way and had specific duties that he had to perform. He _did_ get some benefit from his clients in the sharing of physical pleasure with them, but for the most part while he was working, his feelings were unnecessary and completely irrelevant. It wasn't about _him_.

So having someone come into his life that he couldn't push into a specific category and thus avoid getting too close to was unsettling at the very least. Rinoa had reached in past his guards and grabbed him by the heart; the only thing he could think to do about it was to go and find her to see where it led.

He walked out onto the balcony and leaned against the stone barrier, remembering that last night. Remembering how…. magical…. the entire evening had been, from start to finish. Then he snorted and shook his head, thinking, _Gods Leonhart, you're turning into a sap all of a sudden. Maudlin fool. If you're going to go after her then do it, and quit mooning about it. But before you do anything, you'd BETTER get your damned gunblade back!_

Pushing away from the balustrade, he went back into his apartment and into his bedroom, depositing his bag of clothing onto his bed. Riffling through it, he found his cell phone and turned it on, relieved to find that it hadn't been damaged and still had some charge to it. Scrolling through the numbers, he selected the one he was looking for.

The phone rang, and then was answered and a voice on the other end said, "Hello Squall. Finally back?"

"Yeah. Did you pick up my gunblade Eric?" Squall asked.

"Yeah I did. I stuck it in the armory. It's locked up all safe and sound. You going to come by to get it?" Eric asked him.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a few minutes." Squall said, adding, "I'm taking a leave of absence for a week. The doctor wants me on light duty anyway and I need to go to Deling City. I'm leaving tomorrow. You'll be in charge while I'm gone."

"Uh…okay. This is kind of sudden, isn't it?" Eric asked, surprised.

"Perhaps, but I'm certain that you can deal with pretty much anything you run up against." Squall said.

"Thanks. I appreciate your confidence in me. The barriers are all repaired now, and reinforced too." Eric reported.

"Good. Then this should be fairly easy for you to handle." Squall said.

"Well, I hope so anyway. I guess I'll see you in a few minutes?" Eric asked him.

"Yes. Talk to you in a little bit." Squall said, disconnecting the call and heading for the door.

He retrieved his gunblade and went over some procedures with Eric, making sure he was ready to take over in his absence. Squall didn't feel any need to worry however, he'd chosen his people carefully and was fully aware of their abilities. Indeed, if necessary, Eric could easily take over Squall's position as head of security there permanently.

Upon returning to his apartment with LionHeart, he got right to work cleaning off the crusted blood and residue from the pulse ammo he'd used. Fortunately, he'd only fired it twice so there wasn't enough to pit the barrel, but he hated leaving his weapon in such a state, even when he'd had no control over the situation. Once it was properly cleaned, polished and honed, he returned it to its case and got his duffel out to start packing.

Tossing it onto his bed, he started arranging for airline tickets while packing. By the time he'd finished that task, he had a round trip ticket confirmed to leave the next morning for Deling City, had arranged for a cab to pick him up and had only to figure out exactly _where_ Rinoa actually was. Well, he'd been a SeeD, and finding people was part of the job. Hopefully it wouldn't take him too long…that was when he noticed the slip of paper stuck beneath his telephone.

He snorted to himself, realizing that if he'd actually used _that_ phone instead of his cell phone, he'd have found it sooner. Wondering what it was, and hoping, he took it out from under the phone and read the writing on it, unable to stop his heart from thumping heavily as he realized that Rinoa had left her phone number and address.

He stared at it, suddenly anxious. He'd never actually done something like this before, not really. Marti booked his clients, and before…. well…. he'd never had to _pursue_ someone. He wasn't terribly vain but he also knew that his looks had played a large part in that.

There was also the fact that nearly a week had passed and…what if she thought he'd forgotten, had just given her an empty line that he'd wanted to see her again? What if _she'd_ forgotten or worse, had written him off? The sad thing was that within the context of his client/concierge relationships, he was perfectly confident because there were set rules for behavior and certain expectations laid out beforehand. There was a map, a framework to follow.

This was completely different. He was heading into unknown territory and as a result, deep down, he was actually frightened. _Because this meant something to him._

He didn't know yet _what_ it might mean, but…. it was important. It could end up meaning the world to him.

He took a deep breath and gave himself a mental kick to get past his momentary paralysis. He _had_ to do this, there was no other way to move forward and figure out where this all may lead. So he dialed the number, and waited, shoving his apprehension aside, and tried to think of what he would say to her.

" _Hi Rinoa, this is Squall, remember me? I'm the guy that took your virginity?"_ Brilliant. That'd go over like a lead balloon.

" _Hi, remember last weekend? Sorry I didn't call but I got my ass kicked by a behemoth…"_ No. Stupid.

Then her voicemail picked up and he swallowed nervously and said, "…Um…hello Rinoa, this is Squall…. I'm sorry I wasn't able to see you off, and that it took so long for me to call you…I…something came up, and I've only just been able to call you. Thanks, by the way, for leaving your number. I still want to see you again. I'm flying in tomorrow and um… do…would you like to meet up for coffee or something? If I remember correctly there's a shop next to the Galbadia Hotel. Give me a call and let me know? Here's my number. I'll be staying at the Galbadia Hotel. I hope to hear from you soon…." He disconnected the call and let out a breath, hoping his message didn't sound as lame as he thought it did.

The next morning he as he boarded his flight, he was assailed by a mixed bag of emotions running the gamut from anticipation to nervousness, eagerness and even fear. But underneath all of this was calmness and a willingness to accept whatever happened from this point forward. And there was also…. hope.

* * *

Saturday morning dawned gray, cold and rainy, but that had no effect whatsoever on Rinoa's spirits. Squall had called her, and he was flying in today. Just to see her. She wanted to sing, dance and do any number of crazy, exuberant and silly things. She felt as giddy as if she'd had an entire bottle of wine. It would be hours before he was actually _in_ Galbadia, Rinoa knew that, and she couldn't wait.

The only problem that she could see was the fact that she didn't know what flight he'd taken so had no idea when he'd actually arrive. She didn't want to try calling him back until he was on the ground so they could figure out when to meet.

To work off her nervous energy and stay occupied while she waited, she attacked her apartment with a vengeance, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming and dusting, tidying up the clutter and when she'd finished with that, she took Angelo out for a walk. Anything to keep her from losing her mind to boredom and anxiety.

While she was doing all of that however, she couldn't help mentally replaying the previous weekend; from the first moment she saw him half-dressed and glaring at her to the last when he'd kissed her almost desperately before he'd had to leave.

She wondered again why it had taken him so long to call her; perhaps he'd been busy, like she'd speculated. His position as head of security was an important job so whatever it was that had taken him from her side had likely kept him tied up and unable to get in contact with her right away. It didn't matter now, he _had_ called her and within a few hours, she would see him again.

She refused to think about the fact that he'd made no mention of how long he'd be staying as yet, instead resolving to simply enjoy the moment, however long she had with him. She still didn't expect roses and forever. He lived on the other side of the world, and there was no way he'd just drop his entire life in Esthar to move to Galbadia just for her. They'd only just met.

Still, the fact that he was flying halfway across the world just to see her made her wonder what his motivation for doing that was. It couldn't have been because she'd been great in bed; the fact of being a virgin when she'd had sex with him had pretty much guaranteed that she _wouldn't_ be.

Then she mentally kicked herself for letting her mind wander down that path. She'd been trying not to think too much about how things had been between them the first time, and now the memories had returned with a vengeance, igniting a craving to repeat the experience. In short, she wanted him again.

Sighing, she checked the time and decided to try calling him. Maybe he'd finally landed.

* * *

He'd forgotten how cold March could get in Galbadia, particularly Deling City. Yeah, it was a coastal city so it rarely snowed, but the rains of winter and early spring were cold enough, even so. Oddly, Balamb was farther north and thus colder even than Deling City. But he'd lived for two years in the tropics and his blood had thinned. Fortunately, he still had his peacoat and had remembered to bring it, though he was wishing he'd worn a scarf and sweater as well.

Ducking his head and turning up his collar against the rain, Squall shivered slightly and headed for one of the stores along the main drag through the city to purchase an umbrella. Once there, he found a nice white scarf to go along with it. Brushing his hand over the soft, fluffy fabric, he checked and confirmed that it was a lamb's wool/ angora blend and thus wouldn't itch.

"Would that be all for you sir?" the clerk asked him when he brought the items to the counter.

"Yes." Squall answered.

"Sixty-eight gil then." The clerk said, then asked, "are you new in town?"

"Why do you ask?" Squall asked in turn.

The clerk shrugged with a smile, "Well, the big tip off is your tan. _Nobody's_ got a tan here by March. And your accent is definitely not local. Where've you come from?"

"Esthar." Squall answered.

The clerk chuckled, "that explains your tan. And the scarf and umbrella. We've also got a nice selection of sweaters farther toward the back, if you need one."

"Perhaps later. This will do for now." Squall said, paying for his purchases.

"Later then," the clerk said with a smile, adding, "enjoy your visit here."

Squall nodded and left, putting the scarf on immediately and tucking it into his coat, then opening the umbrella. As he walked toward the coffee shop, he felt much more comfortable. Even such a little thing as a scarf did wonders for warding off the chill, and the umbrella obviously kept the drizzling rain off him. Of course, by the time he made it to the coffee shop, he'd _need_ a hot cup to warm up.

He checked his watch as he approached the shop. He was a bit early, but had needed the extra time to get the scarf and the umbrella. When he'd landed at the Deling City International airport, it had been raining much harder and he'd gotten soaked before he'd managed to hail a cab to get to the hotel. He'd had to shower and change into dry clothes, and the first thing he'd unpacked had been his coat.

Rinoa had called just as he'd gotten out of the shower, and he'd been keenly aware of the fact that he was naked save for the towel around his hips, as he'd been talking to her. Not that he'd made any mention of it to her. While he wanted things to end up that way between them eventually, he didn't want to put any pressure on her either.

Just because they'd had sex once before, didn't mean that she'd want it to happen again, despite how much she'd appeared to have enjoyed it. Besides, he didn't want his visit to be all about _that_ anyway. He wasn't sure yet _what_ he wanted it to be about, but he intended to spend the week figuring it out. Or at least making a start at it.

It had been nice though, hearing her voice, and his spirits had risen at the prospect of seeing her again.

The bell tinkled as he opened the door to the shop, and he closed and shook the rain off his umbrella as he walked in. He gazed around as he walked toward the counter, taking note of the patrons there and hoping to find a table free. It had fairly standard coffee shop décor; with wooden floors in warm gold, small round tables and chairs the color of espresso scattered about, and a display case with pastries of various types next to the register. He didn't see Rinoa there yet, but there were more than a few people in line, waiting like him to order something hot to warm up with.

"May I help you?" the barrista asked when his turn came up. The bell tinkled again as someone else either entered or left, and Squall studied the board for a moment before answering.

"Regular coffee, black." He said.

"Any particular blend you want?" the girl asked him with a smile.

Squall glanced up at the board again and saw the blend he normally purchased and answered, "Esthar, north."

"Coming right up."

Rinoa entered the shop and shook off her umbrella. Checking her watch, she saw that she was right on time and she gazed around, looking for Squall. There were several patrons seated around the shop, and a sailor at the counter ordering coffee. Well, he _looked_ like a sailor anyway; he was wearing a peacoat that naval personnel typically wore. Then she narrowed her eyes, as she got closer, and got a better look at him.

Tallish, lean, broad shouldered, he had his back to her, and so Rinoa didn't recognize him at first. She blamed it on the fact that it was a gray, rainy day. Without the sun to gild his hair and bring out its hidden fire, it was a medium chestnut brown that was fairly unremarkable. Then he concluded his business at the counter and turned, sensing someone behind him.

Rinoa couldn't help a quiet gasp then as she realized who it was, and then she smiled at him. He seemed to freeze, eyes locked with hers, then slowly started to smile as well.

"Squall," she said breathlessly, heart in her throat. Gods, he was more beautiful than she remembered. His eyes were still a cool turquoise blue, but they seemed to have taken on a grayish cast, a reflection of the gray day and the dark coat that he wore. And the slow, almost shy smile he gave her made her knees want to melt.

"Hi," he managed, then his mind went completely blank and he couldn't think of anything else to say. Or rather, there were _so many_ things that he wanted to say that they crowded each other out and left him mute.

Things like, _how have you been? You look more beautiful than I remember._ Or, _I've missed you._ Things that he _felt_ but wasn't yet comfortable articulating.

Rinoa's smile broadened, catching the slight flash of panic in his eyes as he fell into silence, and she asked him, "How was your flight?"

"Long," He answered, his smile turning wry. Rinoa laughed and he chuckled slightly as well.

Gesturing toward the board with the cup he was holding, he offered, "Coffee?"

"Certainly. That's generally what one gets in a place like this," Rinoa said cheekily.

"Well, you _could_ order tea," he said.

"Yeah. Well, I'm going with the coffee." Rinoa said, and he stepped aside to allow her to approach the counter and the patiently waiting (and somewhat amused) clerk.

Once she'd gotten her coffee they found a table, with Squall taking a sip of his after he sat down, and sighing at the warmth that spread outward from his stomach. Rinoa took off her raincoat and sat down as well, sipping her coffee and smiling at him again.

"I can't believe you're here. I didn't think I'd ever see you again; I mean, nobody flies halfway across the world just for…" Rinoa's voice trailed off and she frowned. Then she asked, "Why?"

Squall frowned slightly and studied her intently, wondering if he'd misunderstood her response to him. She didn't appear unhappy to see him, which was encouraging.

Finally he answered her honestly, "Because I wanted to see you again. I'd told you that I did. I thought maybe…that you felt the same way. Was I wrong?"

Rinoa's heart did a funny little flip in her chest and she shook her head vigorously, "No. You weren't wrong. I'm just a little surprised that you followed through. And….And I'm happy you're here."

"I'm happy I'm here too." Squall said softly.

Rinoa took a sip of her coffee, finding it hard to tear her eyes away from him. The dark, almost black peacoat was obviously tailored to fit him, because it looked damn good on him. Likewise with the fluffy white scarf that he'd added; it looked warm and cozy, and very cute as well. Almost like a lion's mane. Despite the shop being heated, Squall had yet to remove his coat, and as she watched, she saw him shiver slightly.

"Cold?" She asked curiously.

Squall nodded, "Yeah. I've gotten used to living in the tropics. My blood's too thin for this."

"Well, you just had the misfortune of arriving right in the middle of a cold snap. It's not usually this cold this late in March." Rinoa said, adding, "The weather reports are saying it should warm up in the next few days." Resting her chin on her fist, Rinoa asked him, "How long are you staying?"

"A week." Squall answered her _. I wish it were longer_ …

"And you said you're staying at the Galbadia Hotel, right?" She asked him.

"Right." He confirmed.

"Wrong." Rinoa said, smiling at his confused look.

"I'm…. sorry?" He asked.

"You're staying with me." Rinoa declared, adding, "It's only fair since I invaded your home. I want to return the favor."

"But… It's not the same…" Squall began, but Rinoa waved it away.

"I don't care. Say yes." Rinoa said firmly.

"Rinoa…"

"Go on. Say it! You know you want to."

"Are you _sure_? I mean, that's not actually what I'm here for…" Squall said.

"Yes, I'm sure. And what _are_ you here for then, if not for me?" Rinoa asked him pointedly.

Squall stared at her, struck by her logic, charmed by her brilliant smile. And he was falling again, falling into her bottomless brown eyes, captivated by the contrast of her white skin and night-dark hair. By the way the powder blue sweater she was wearing hugged her curves.

"Yes."

"Yes, what?" Rinoa asked him, grinning.

He laughed softly, "Yes, I'll stay with you. And yes, I _am_ here for you. And I'm also here for me. Because this is where I want to be right now."

Rinoa swallowed, heart flipping over again, and managed to say breathlessly, "you don't have to do anything you don't want to…"

He laughed harder at this, and when he calmed down, suggested, "Why don't we take things one step at a time?"

"Sounds good to me…Um, are we on step one?" she asked him.

"Yes, I believe we are." He answered.

"Then what's step two?" she asked.

"Dinner?"

"Okay. After we get you set up at my place."

"All right." Squall drained the last bit of his coffee and stood up, asking, "Finished?"

"Yes," Rinoa stood as well and went to put her coat on, pausing in surprise when Squall came around to help her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, drinking in the subtle spice of his cologne. She appreciated the fact that he was so sparing in its use, only offering hints of it when she got up close to him, rather than overpowering her from across the room with it.

He dropped his hands from her shoulders after she'd gotten her coat on, but before he could step away she quickly turned and slipped her arms around his waist, hugging him close and leaning her head against his chest. She simply held him then, listening to his heart thumping beneath her ear. She heard him swallow, then felt his arms come around her as well, felt him rest his cheek against her hair.

They stood that way for a long moment, and then Rinoa finally whispered, "I've missed you."

Squall's heart squeezed at that, and he whispered back, "I've missed you too." He held her for a few more moments, counting his heartbeats, listening to her breathe, before gently disengaging from her.

Then he reached down and took her hand, threading his fingers through hers, saying, "Let's go."


	10. Chapter 10

Squall followed Rinoa into her apartment, gazing around with interest. The first thing he noticed was that while it was clean, it was not immaculate. Not like the hotel room he'd just checked out of or his own place at the resort. It was…lived in.

Little things caught his eye; framed photographs atop a mantelpiece over a gas fireplace, mostly portraits of what Squall assumed were friends or family members. Green plants of various types in various places, added life to the main room, while mismatched pillows were thrown haphazardly upon the overstuffed and very comfortable looking couch.

None of the furnishings were of any particular style or color or maker; taken individually, some might be considered unique or interesting, while others might not be. Yet they all seemed to work together to give the room a sense of warmth and welcome, with a healthy dose of unpretentious, unabashed fun added in the form a large, flat-screened LCD television, surround stereo system and a gaming console.

The second thing he noticed was Rinoa's dog. Indeed, his attention was directed to her by her thunderous barking virtually the moment he walked through the door. The only reason that she was the _second_ thing he'd noticed was because he'd actually taken a quick glance around the room before focusing upon her.

Rinoa of course had told him about Angelo, so he'd known what to expect upon first meeting her. She was a larger dog than he'd envisioned however, before remembering that some Galbadian Shepherds could approach a hundred pounds in weight and nearly a meter in height at the shoulder. The collie part of her make up was what reduced her size somewhat and provided the thick coat and partially flopped over ears. The dog's breeder had docked its tail before she'd gotten it, and Squall recalled how sad Rinoa had been at her inability to prevent that from happening.

"Angelo! Shush!" Rinoa admonished the dog, kneeling down to scratch behind its ears in an effort to calm it, adding softly, "He's a guest here. Be nice."

Squall waited while Rinoa calmed her dog, knowing well enough about meeting strange dogs despite never having owned one himself. He watched as the dog's aggressively pricked ears and raised ruff calmed and the watchfulness faded from its gaze.

Once the dog appeared to have relaxed, Rinoa stood and approached Squall, hand firmly gripping the collar, and said formally, "Angelo, this is Squall. Squall, this is Angelo."

Squall extended his hand toward the dog, palm downward, allowing it to get a good sniff at him, saying, "Pleased to meet you Angelo." Rinoa gave him a conspiratorial smile, which he returned as the dog thoroughly investigated him.

When that investigation was completed, Squall ventured to stroke his hand over the dog's head, marveling at the soft fluff before gently rubbing at the silky fur behind its ears. Angelo slitting her eyes partially shut and dropping her mouth open in a tongue-lolling canine smile rewarded his efforts. He ventured further and dug his fingers into her thick mane, working them down her neck. The dog reached up and licked his face in appreciation, pulling a surprised laugh from him.

Rinoa echoed his laugher, saying, "It's official. She likes you."

"I like her too. She's lovely." Squall grinned, taking the dog's face into both hands and scratching behind its ears.

"Come on. Let's get you settled." Rinoa invited. Squall left the dog with a final pat and followed Rinoa further into her apartment and into her bedroom. He almost laughed when Rinoa pointedly took his duffel bag from him and tossed it onto her bed, giving him a challenging look as she did.

"You're sure about this?" He asked her, sobering.

"Yes. I have extra space in my dresser. You can use the three drawers on the end." Rinoa answered him.

Squall didn't ask her how she came to have the extra space. He could guess at why. Fortunately, there were no personal effects or clothing belonging to her late fiancée left behind, so that little bit of awkwardness was thus avoided. Squall rather doubted it was by choice. If he had to speculate upon it, she had likely either returned those items to his family or they had simply retrieved them. Or, yet another possibility, he hadn't actually started to move in yet; had delayed that step until after the wedding.

"All right," He said, immediately starting to unpack, much to Rinoa's fascination.

"You don't waste any time, do you?" Rinoa asked, amused.

Squall shrugged, "I try not to."

Glancing around, Rinoa noticed the long black case that Squall had brought along with his duffel bag. It was emblazoned with the same lion-head symbol that he wore as his pendant. She wondered what it contained; whatever it was, it was obviously important to him, if one went by the way he guarded it.

"What's in here?" she asked, curiously, reaching for the case.

"Don't touch that." He said flatly. Rinoa froze, swallowing uncertainly.

Squall left off his unpacking and turned back to where Rinoa stood next to his gunblade case. Lifting it off the floor, he laid it upon her bed and frowned down at it, still resting his hand on it just beneath Griever's symbol. He had brought it with him without thinking, an action as natural to him as breathing.

"It's…. my gunblade. I don't even know why I brought it. Habit I suppose." _It's instinct. Can't get away from it…_ Carl had said that. Was it true? Squall wondered. He'd tried to move beyond his former life as a SeeD, and for the most part, had succeeded. But parts of it, he had to acknowledge, would never go away completely. It was part of who he was.

Rinoa was left both curious about that and a little scared, to be honest. She vaguely remembered him sliding a long, glowing, bladelike weapon into a sheath he wore on his back the morning he'd left. She wondered if that was what he was referring to.

"Can I …I'd like to see it. Do you mind?" Rinoa asked him.

Squall hesitated, then said, "Okay but…don't touch it. It's very sharp."

"Okay. I won't." Rinoa nodded solemnly.

Squall studied her for a moment, and then dropped his gaze to where his hand rested upon the case. He stroked the smooth surface unconsciously, then unlocked, unlatched and opened the case, revealing what lay within.

It lay upon black velvet, as sleekly beautiful and deadly as a sleeping panther. Or lion, Rinoa amended as she saw the etching on the oddly translucent blue blade. It was neither sword nor gun, but an elegant melding of both. The glow from the blade was not as easy to see in the light of day, gloomy though it was, but Rinoa could just make it out. It reflected off of the gleaming silver of the cylinder where she could see the large bullets that the weapon required. More of those bullets were lined up in the case in a section set aside for them, each the size of Squall's thumb.

Rinoa placed her hand over her lips, trying to ignore the tingle in her fingertips that virtually begged her to smooth them over the blade to see if it was as smooth and cold as it looked, or its luminescence also included warmth. Instead, she watched as Squall did that instead, tracing his fingertips along the blade to the oddly configured handle, caressing it the way he would a lover. The way he'd caressed _her_.

Rinoa swallowed and held silence, not quite understanding what she was seeing, but somehow aware that it was an integral part of him. She thought he might pick it up; he'd curled his fingers around the handle as though he would, but then he moved his hand away from it instead.

Finally, Rinoa found her voice, whispering, "It's beautiful." She'd never seen such a weapon up close, though she'd heard a little about SeeDs and the weapons that they'd used second hand, mainly due to her father and how she'd been raised. The Galbadian Army used gunblades, but they were nothing like _this_ ; it was larger, the blade thicker and differently shaped, and presumably heavier. And the metal parts of the gun portion…were silver.

Not _real_ silver, Rinoa discovered as she looked more closely. Only the decorative portions of the weapon were actual sterling. The rest was silver-chromed steel. The actual silver decoration on the side of it, incorporating the trigger guard and the hammer, took the fanciful form of a winged lion. The grip was fairly standard for a gunblade, though it was made of smooth black wood, and not plastic, as she'd originally thought. In an odd bit of whimsy, the end of the grip had a silver charm attached, an exact replica of the pendant that Squall wore, identifying him as the gunblade's owner.

"It's custom made. There isn't another like it anywhere." Squall said.

"You designed it?" Rinoa asked him, awestruck.

Squall nodded. "It took me a long time to get the materials together that I needed to have it made, but…it's by far the best gunblade I've ever used."

"It looks almost alive, the way it glows," Rinoa commented.

Squall studied her for a moment, then gently lowered the lid to the case and shut it, considering her observation.

"I suppose it is, in a way." Squall said. Then he smiled slightly at her and added, "It has a name."

Rinoa tilted her head and gazed up at him, intrigued, asking. "Do all SeeDs name their weapons?"

"Most of them do." Squall answered.

"Why?" Rinoa asked, curiously. She'd never heard of such a thing. A weapon was simply a tool; it had no soul or heart, no personality, and thus was not given any name save the one that identified what it was. Then Rinoa recalled Squall's weapon and how it had seemed alive. Its graceful, lethal beauty spoke more of the man who designed and wielded it than Rinoa would have otherwise thought, had she not seen it and gotten to know him.

Squall hesitated, unsure if he should answer her or not. Not for any worry of giving away trade secrets, it was common knowledge that SeeDs use a particular weapon throughout their careers and are very young when they choose it. No child over the age of ten is even accepted as a potential SeeD candidate.

He just wasn't sure that she would _understand_ any of it. Then he decided that he was giving her too little credit…and _far_ too little trust.

"All SeeDs start out as young children. The median age of a SeeD candidate is eight. Some are younger, but very few are older. The first two years is mainly academics, with mostly unarmed martial arts used for physical training. By the third or fourth year, we're considered ready to choose our specialties; our primary weapons. From that point on, our focus as SeeD cadets is to master that weapon. It becomes a part of us, an extension of our bodies; something that we rely upon to defend us and preserve our lives and the lives of those whom we are entrusted to protect. It becomes a reliable friend, and trusted companion; oftentimes, the _only_ companion that we can fully trust. Based upon that, it's not so unusual that we would name our companions." Squall finally answered her.

 _How lonely a life he must have had_ , Rinoa thought, suddenly feeling sad for the child he'd once been.

"No." She finally agreed quietly. "It's not so unusual at all." Then she nodded toward the case and asked, "What did you name yours?"

Squall smiled briefly at her, relieved somewhat at her apparent acceptance of this part of him, and told her, "LionHeart."

Rinoa smiled back at him and repeated solemnly, "LionHeart. Weapon of legend."

Squall laughed softly at this and shook his head, "No it isn't."

"It should be." Rinoa said.

"Well, it's not. It's just a gunblade. And I'm just an ex-SeeD. No legends here." Squall told her with a shrug.

Rinoa sighed, then met his eyes, fascinated by their coolly mutable azure shade, replying, "I suppose it's just as well. Legends are mythical ideals, not flesh and blood people." She reached out, the desire to touch him again making her bold enough to place her hand over his where it rested upon his gunblade case, then lightly stroke back from his hand and up his forearm.

" I prefer reality to legend anyway."

Squall swallowed at this, suddenly wanting to kiss her thoroughly. _Later,_ he promised himself, if things headed toward that direction. Instead he lifted his hand off of his gunblade case and used it to lightly brush the backs of his fingers against Rinoa's soft, white cheek.

"So do I," he agreed softly. Then he dropped his hand and looked away, adding, "I'd better finish up here so we can get all of this out of the way."

"It's not like you've got that much left." Rinoa said.

"No, so it shouldn't take long. Then, we can go eat dinner. I must admit that I _am_ rather hungry. It was a long flight." Squall responding, resuming his unpacking.

"It was indeed." Rinoa agreed, and he glanced back at her with a small smile.

* * *

"So, I was thinking the first thing that we should do tonight is to get you a nice sweater or two." Rinoa was saying as they strolled along the strip.

It had stopped raining, and the streetlights and neon signs from the shops that lined the boulevard reflected off of the wet street in watery glimmers. The cold and damp were just enough for puffs of vapor to show as Rinoa spoke.

"I'd planned on doing that tomorrow, but I suppose we could do that tonight instead," Squall responded. He appreciated the fact that she'd snuggled close to him in an effort to warm him, as he was still feeling the cold despite his heavy coat.

"Well, you need something, even if it warms up a bit tomorrow. It's just too bad my Bears sweatshirt didn't fit you." Rinoa commented on a sigh.

Squall snorted, "Sweatshirts aren't meant to be worn skin-tight. I could barely get it off."

Rinoa laughed, recalling the humorous sight of him struggling out of the overly tight garment. It _had_ looked good on him, though really anything that molded to his chest and accentuated his musculature would have done just as well. And the blue color had really brought out his beautiful eyes.

"Well, I'm glad we didn't have to resort to cutting it off of you. That's my favorite sweatshirt." Rinoa said.

"So, you're a hockey fan? I would never have guessed." Squall commented.

"Yup. Die-hard Galbadian Bears fan, through and through. In fact, they're in the playoffs, and I've got box seats for tomorrow's game. Wanna go?" Rinoa invited. She had an extra ticket and had been considering asking Selphie to accompany her. She was pretty sure however that her friend would not mind in the least that Rinoa had opted to invite a cute guy instead. Correction: Gorgeous, hot, brain-meltingly _sexy_ guy. Nope, Selphie wouldn't mind, though she _might_ be jealous.

Squall raised his eyebrows, intrigued, and grinned, "I'd love to. It's been forever since I've seen a Bears game."

"Great!" Rinoa smiled, adding, "Now let's go get you some sweaters." She reached for the door to the shop that Squall had just visited earlier, pausing when Squall's hand reached it first and he opened it for her with a quirk of his lips.

"My, how gentlemanly of you." Rinoa commented.

Squall snorted, "I have my moments."

"And I've enjoyed them so far," Rinoa replied, prompting him to laugh softly.

She preceded him into the shop and headed toward the back, with Squall following closely behind.

The clerk greeted them as they passed; smiling at Squall, "Back again for the sweaters?"

Squall nodded and Rinoa smiled, "Yes, we are."

"Back there. If you have any questions, or need any help, let me know," the clerk offered.

"Thank you," Rinoa said, and they continued toward the section indicated.

"So, have anything specific in mind?" Rinoa asked him once they reached their goal. They both began examining the offerings there, with Rinoa paying particular attention to color, while Squall appeared more interested in what the sweater was made from.

"Anything that doesn't itch." Squall said, studying a black sweater critically.

"Are you allergic to wool then? I know some people that are…" Rinoa observed.

Squall shook his head, "No, nothing like that. I just have sensitive skin. I don't break into hives or anything like that if I wear wool, the scratchiness just irritates me, that's all."

"So, let's see then…" Rinoa mused, studying the items more closely. "Here's a nice one. Angora and silk, and its a really pretty blue. What do you think?" She held the item up and Squall took it and felt the fabric and the weight, then checked the size.

"Nice. But it's too small. And the knit's too loose." Squall said, handing it back to her, adding, "Lamb's wool is good for warmth and it's not as irritating as regular wool. Blended with either silk or angora or some other soft fiber, it works pretty well."

"I see," Rinoa said, returning to her search, only to look up when Squall said in an amused tone, "Rinoa? I'm a large. I like having room to breathe."

She laughed at this and moved closer to him to help search in the right size. She noticed he tended to look at either neutral or dark colors; black, navy blue, gray or more rarely, light tan or beige, or white. If she didn't know better, she'd have thought he was colorblind. Rinoa decided right then, that she would change that.

Bright colors wouldn't suit him, she decided, trying and failing to picture him in red or yellow. Nope. That wouldn't work. Neither his personality nor his coloring would be able to carry that off. But blues and greens? Yes. _Definitely_.

"This one." Rinoa said, her attention caught by the bright blue color. Not _too_ bright, and with a green undertone, she just _knew_ it would look fantastic on him. She quickly checked the size and fabric; the right size, and it was lamb's wool and silk in a nice, tight knit in a fairly plain, unfussy style…perfect. She held it up against him and smiled broadly as the color brought his eyes into bold relief.

Squall took it from her and studied it. The color was nice, though not one that he normally wore. Everything else about it was fine, so he nodded in acceptance.

"Okay." He said, continuing to study the offered items, and finally deciding on another one in soft heather gray. He figured that the two sweaters would be sufficient for his needs and turned away, intending to complete his purchases and continue with the rest of the evening.

"Are you only getting those two?" Rinoa asked him.

"I don't need a different sweater for every day that I'm here," Squall began.

"Variety is the spice of life, or so I've heard. Live a little." Rinoa interjected. "This green one's nice." She added, holding up the garment she was referring to.

She stepped closer and held it against his chest, smoothing the fabric out and studying how the color lit his features and accentuated the greenish cast to his eyes. Squall gazed down at her and leaned close, eyes sparkling, lips just on the edge of a smile.

"I'm working on it. That's why I'm here." He murmured softly. Rinoa swallowed as he invaded her space until they were nearly touching and his warm, spicy scent teased her senses once again. He reached his hand up then and covered hers where it still rested against his chest, pressing it into his warmth.

Rinoa simply stared up at him, the power of speech driven from her by the slyly amused glitter in his eyes, the _almost_ smile that he wore, and by the fact that he was somehow close enough to kiss her, if he should bend down just a little more…

"This green sweater _is_ nice. But I think that's going to be the last one for now. We still have dinner to get to, remember?" Squall reminded her.

"Dinner?" Rinoa said blankly, before she remembered the _actual_ reason they were going out. "Right. Dinner."

Squall leaned even closer, until his lips were just a breath away from hers, the wicked glint in his eyes plainly evident. "Yes. Dinner. So let's get these paid for and be on our way."

Rinoa couldn't help staring at his lips, so close to hers. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her face, and remembered their flavor and how they felt on hers. Unconsciously, her tongue snuck out to moisten her lips.

That small action turned the tables on Squall's teasing, tempting him beyond what he could endure any longer. He _had_ to kiss her.

It took nothing at all to bridge the gap that separated his lips from hers. Mindful of their location however, he pressed his lips lightly against hers, just enough to tease and to taste. Just enough to leave them both aching for more.

Rinoa's hand, pressing against his chest, clutched at him for support as she swayed, eyes drifting shut. Drifting, losing herself in the kiss…. which was far too brief for her liking.

"Let's go." He whispered, pulling back and smiling down at her. Rinoa swallowed and nodded, following him to the counter and feeling her cheeks heat at the amused expression on the clerk's face.

"Will that be all then?" the young man asked them politely, while sighing inwardly at the evidence of his handsome customer's preference. It was too bad too; the guy's beautiful eyes were to die for.

"Yes." Squall answered, placing his purchases on the counter to be rung up.

"That will be three hundred and sixty gil." The clerk responded, glancing over at Rinoa upon hearing her gasp.

Squall however simply gave the man the requested amount and nodded when the clerk thanked him politely, taking the bag his purchases had been placed in when the clerk handed it to him.

He led the way to the door and opened it for Rinoa, following her back out onto the street.

" _Three hundred and sixty gil_?" She exclaimed as they started walking toward the restaurant they'd both decided upon. "That's over a hundred gil apiece! Sheesh!"

"Hundred and twenty, actually. And it's because they're knitted from rather expensive yarn. Lambswool, silk, cashmere…" Squall responded, not bothering to mention the designer label. He wasn't normally a label hunter but this particular designer was known for their quality.

"Well, they'd better be warm, as much as you've paid for them." Rinoa frowned. "Speaking of which, why don't you go ahead and put one on? You're freezing and there's only so much I can do to keep you warm out here on the street."

"Okay. So you want me to just stop here in the middle of the sidewalk and put on a sweater?" Squall asked her, amused. "I presume you have a plan for dealing with the tags?"

"Don't you SeeDs carry around some kind of multi-use tool? You know, the knife, corkscrew, nail clipper, can opener, pocket watch, bottle opener thingie?" Rinoa asked him curiously.

"I left it in my other pants." Squall said dryly.

Rinoa sighed, "I have nail clippers in my purse. Which sweater do you want to wear?"

Squall considered that for a moment, and then remembered how it had felt when Rinoa had smoothed the green sweater against his chest, just prior to him kissing her. It had felt soft, smooth, warm…. like her kiss. And it was a nice color as well.

"The green one." Squall answered her. She reached into the bag and pulled it out, deftly cutting the tags off of it with her nail clippers.

"Here you go," Rinoa said, intending to hand it to him, when he stopped her.

"Hang onto that for a minute." Squall said, unbuttoning his coat and removing it and his scarf. Handing it to Rinoa for her to hold, he then took the sweater from her and pulled it on over the black, long-sleeved shirt he was wearing. Once he got it settled, he took his scarf from Rinoa and put it on, then did the same with his coat.

"Better?" Rinoa asked as he buttoned up his coat again.

"Much," Squall answered, reaching for her hand. The sweater was exactly what he'd needed to deal with the chilly night.

She threaded her fingers through his and they continued toward the restaurant.

* * *

Squall was familiar with Deling City, having been there more than a few times as a SeeD on assignments and when things got boring in Balamb. He hadn't been away from it so long that things had changed much since. Still, since he was a guest there, he had suggested that Rinoa pick where they would eat that night. He was curious to see what she would select.

Rinoa had really had a difficult time with the decision too. There were a number of places that she liked, but had purposely avoided selecting one of her favorites, Docksiders, because her friends might be there. NOT that she was embarrassed to be seen with Squall; quite the opposite. She just didn't want anything to intrude upon her time with him. She wanted him all to herself tonight.

And then there was the question of fare…. what was he in the mood for? What did _she_ want? When she'd asked Squall, he said he was too hungry to care, which wasn't very helpful at all.

Rinoa had finally settled on one of her favorite steakhouses, suddenly having the urge for a nice steak. And maybe some shrimp.

"Here we are," Rinoa said, reaching for the entrance door and pulling it open before Squall could. She entered the restaurant ahead of him, chuckling at his exasperated huff as he followed her.

The hostess guided them to a table not long after they entered, and Rinoa couldn't help sighing at the image Squall presented as he removed his jacket and scarf and sat down. He looked stunning in green. The color was reflected in his eyes beautifully and made it hard not to stare at them. The warm lamplight in the restaurant glinted off of the necklace he wore, his earring and the stainless steel watch on his left wrist, throwing those silvery accents into bright relief. A forelock of his thick chestnut hair had flopped into his eyes, the coppery sparks amongst the sable strands once more visible in the golden light. Rinoa wanted to run her fingers through it and feel its smooth, warm silkiness once more, but that would have to wait. They had to eat dinner first.

She wasn't _nearly_ as hungry for her evening meal as she was for the man who sat across from her however. Suddenly, Rinoa's mouth felt as dry as Esthar's central desert. She reached for the glass of ice water that the waiter had left for her and took a sip.

Squall, apparently absorbed in studying the menu, was in actuality anything but. He didn't know exactly what was in Rinoa's mind just then, but her suddenly pink cheeks and the downright hungry look she'd given him before that slight flush of color gave him a hint. And all he could think about from that moment on was how badly he wanted her naked and in his arms again.

"So…um…what are you going to order?" Rinoa asked him.

Squall lowered the menu and stared at her blankly for a moment, before clearing his throat and answering, "Prime rib sounds good."

"I'm going with surf and turf." Rinoa declared decisively.

"Oh? Steak and lobster?" he asked.

Rinoa snorted and shook her head, "No. I love lobster but that's too much for me tonight. Just a ribeye and shrimp."

"There are better places for lobster than here anyway," Squall commented.

"True. There's a great seafood place right near the wharf," Rinoa replied.

"I was thinking of Balamb, actually." Squall said, adding. "Blue rock lobsters. Can't get them anywhere else, and they're incredible. They're native to the ice current out from the seawall all the way toward Trabia. Can only hunt them twice a year but they're huge, even so."

"I take it you're a fan?" Rinoa asked, charmed by Squall's sudden animation as he described his homeland's native crustacean.

"Most everyone is. They even named their hockey team after them." Squall answered her.

"So _that's_ why they're called the Blue Lobsters? I thought it was an odd name, I had no idea of the reason behind it." Rinoa commented. Then she tilted her head and asked, "How do you know so much about them? It almost sounds like you've worked as a fisherman before."

"I spent a couple of months on a lobster trawler while on assignment once. Hard, dirty, dangerous work it was; I was glad that my next job was firmly on dry land." Squall answered her.

"I'm guessing that decided you against pursuing that as a career option post-SeeD?" Rinoa asked him.

"Yeah." Squall answered, declining to mention that until he'd found Ellone, he had no intentions of ever quitting SeeD. He figured that he, like most SeeDs, would die young and violently. No sense in planning for a future that would likely never come to pass.

The only reason that he'd had such a large amount of funds in reserve for his retirement was because _unlike_ other SeeDs, he wasn't a spendthrift and his personal needs were few. Indeed, while he'd accumulated quite a few items in his years as a SeeD and in particular as Commander, he could still pack nearly everything he owned that was of any importance into one duffel bag.

That, and the fact that he'd discovered he had a knack for investing. It was like a game to him, a challenge that he enjoyed. And if the score he racked up just happened to be in cold, hard gil, so much the better. He wasn't emotional about it… neither the wins nor the losses. He could always earn more money. No matter what, he could survive, so it wasn't a problem for him to give everything he had for Ellone's sake.

Nor was it a problem to earn it back, though this time he had a specific reason for wanting to do so. He discovered that he liked the idea of having a comfortable financial reserve; it gave him far more options than he would have had otherwise.

Options like taking a week off from work with no regrets.

"Are you ready to order?" The waiter returned, asking them. Rinoa and Squall both nodded and told the man what they wanted.

After the man left, Rinoa rested her chin on her clasped hands for a moment, studying Squall intently before commenting, "You know, I took you for a sailor in the coffee shop. Now I know where you came by the peacoat."

"Yeah, well I didn't need any of my really warm gear when I moved to Esthar. It works pretty well for the odd rainy day we get there." Squall replied.

"And it looks very nice on you as well." Rinoa said with a smile.

Squall chuckled softly and nodded once, acknowledging and agreeing with her observation. They lapsed into silence when the waiter returned with the wine they'd ordered, and as one, they both picked up their glasses and paused, gazing at each other.

"Well, it's not Red Moon, but it'll do for a casual dinner," Rinoa finally said, taking a sip.

Squall followed suit and commented, "It's not bad."

Dinner, when it arrived, was very good, and the wine paired well with it. Squall enjoyed it immensely, and not just because he was hungry. The company he was with far outstripped the meal; what he was eating and where made no difference to him. As long as he was able to study the way the light caressed her flawless skin, gilded the caramel highlights in her hair and made her brown eyes sparkle, he was content. He _did_ enjoy the prime rib of course; it was delicious. But that was just an added bonus.

"How's the steak?" Rinoa asked him as the conversation lagged a bit. She began to understand that he was naturally taciturn and would need encouragement to actually converse with. He at least seemed a bit more willing this time around to talk to her, though he rarely initiated anything.

"Very good." Squall answered her after sipping a bit of his wine.

"Have you been here before?" Rinoa asked.

"Here as in Deling City? Or here as in this restaurant?" Squall asked her, wondering which she meant.

"The restaurant. I'm sure you've been to Deling City more than once, with Balamb just across the channel like it is." Rinoa clarified.

"No. Not this particular restaurant." Squall answered her.

"It's one of my favorites but I don't come here much. It's kind of pricey and a little out of the way…. But the food's good." Rinoa commented.

"I agree." Squall responded. They lapsed into silence as they each concentrated on finishing their meals.

The waiter arrived with the check a few moments later, which Squall took over Rinoa's protests.

"But I invited you!" she argued.

"It was a mutual decision. Even if you hadn't come with me, I would have had to buy my dinner anyway. It's no trouble for me to pay for your dinner as well as mine, as I was very glad for the company." Squall reasoned.

"But…" Rinoa began, when Squall interrupted her softly, "this is a _date_ , Rinoa, which in my book means that _I've_ got this." He twitched the check between his two fingers before laying it back down on the tray it had arrived in and including his credit card. The server quickly returned and picked it up.

"You know, it just doesn't seem fair though, that guys pay for everything on a date. I have a decent enough job, I can contribute…" Rinoa sighed.

"But that would send this into a direction that we may not want it to go, wouldn't it? I can't claim to be an expert on the whole male-female dynamic, my former occupation notwithstanding but…" Squall said, when Rinoa interrupted him.

"Wait. What do you mean, _former_ occupation? Did you lose your job?"

Squall shook his head, "No. I'm still head of security at the resort, _that_ hasn't changed. But I had myself removed from the concierge list."

Rinoa felt as though all the air had been squeezed out of her lungs, and she simply stared at him, eyes wide.

"Why?" she finally breathed.

"I should think the answer to that would be obvious."

Rinoa swallowed, then licked her lips before asking in a small voice, "for….me?"

Squall considered that, and nodded in confirmation. He had earned back the money he'd spent for Ellone's treatment, but even if he hadn't, he'd have had himself removed from the concierge list. And yes, it would have been for Rinoa's sake. He didn't want _that_ to add yet another obstacle to…whatever it was that he hoped would develop from this. He almost wanted to laugh at the fact that he was so clueless that he didn't even know what it was that he wanted from her. He simply wanted to see her again, and maybe take a stab at figuring it out.

"Yes. Mostly, anyway." He answered.

"But…I thought…. didn't you like doing it?" She asked, confused. That didn't make sense. He quit that job for _her_? That implied something far more than a single night in his bed, glorious though it might have been, could account for.

"On a certain level, yes, I did. I'd be lying if I said I didn't. But it was a means to an end. A method to reach a certain goal; it was never intended to be a permanent occupation. You just gave me another reason to quit doing it, that's all." Squall responded.

"Another reason? You had more than one?" Rinoa asked, tilting her head to the side slightly.

"Yes. The original reason I took it on no longer applies." Squall answered her.

 _The original reason…_ Rinoa paused for a moment, frowning as she tried to recall what, if anything, he'd said about that. The only thing she remembered him saying was that he'd needed to earn extra gil, but he'd never answered her question of why.

"So…" she said slowly, "you don't need to earn the extra money anymore? You never answered my question of why you needed it in the first place."

Squall looked away for a moment, expression pensive, and sighed, "no, I didn't." Then he turned and met her eyes and added, "it was personal, and at that point I didn't feel it something that you needed to know."

"What about now?" Rinoa asked him, hoping that she wasn't pushing. The fact that he was _there_ , that he was making an effort to relate to her, told her many things. Things that both frightened and excited her. His physical attraction to her had never been in question, despite the fact that he'd baldly stated that he only "did" blonds. Rinoa began to think that it had something to do with his job as a concierge that he'd made that distinction. But this implied that his interest went beyond the physical.

"Now it's…. different." He admitted, and then he explained, "Ellone had been sick with leukemia when I found her, and fighting it had worn her resources to nothing. Simply put, she needed gil for her treatment and she'd run out. She was by no means well and the added stress of how to pay for it all didn't help. Meanwhile, I had managed to accumulate a rather substantial reserve as a SeeD, particularly once I'd made commander. So I used it all up; my retirement fund, my savings, everything, to help her. She's in remission now, and getting stronger every day. I've earned back all that I'd spent and then some; I've discovered a latent talent for investing that's paid off rather well. So, no, I didn't need to do the concierge thing any longer."

The waiter returned then with the receipt and Squall's card. He signed it and added a tip; a rather generous one, from what Rinoa could see, and they left.

* * *

Squall's revelation had left Rinoa with plenty to think about as they strolled along the central strip through Deling City. He'd reclaimed her hand, engulfing it and warming it with his. They'd fallen into silence again, but it wasn't an uncomfortable one. Instead, Squall appeared content to simply gaze about as though reacquainting himself with the bright lights and bustling energy of the city.

They came upon a street musician playing outside one of the more eclectic shops along the strip; a bookstore/café/coffeehouse sort of affair, and Rinoa paused to listen to him. Still holding her hand, Squall of course stopped as well.

Rinoa sighed, listening to the music, and leaned into Squall. He obligingly released her hand and wrapped his arm around her instead, pulling her close to his side. The guitarist was quite good, his playing imbued with both energy and an intricate, melodic flair. It was easy to become lost in the melody, but Rinoa was able to discern the beat that flowed beneath it. The time signature was a familiar one, and Rinoa suddenly had a mad urge to dance.

She moved, turning to face Squall and took both of his hands and smiled up into his face, eyes sparkling with both mischief and excitement, saying, "dance with me."

Squall smiled down at Rinoa, her smiling energy holding him captive, and asked her, "What? Here? Now?"

"Yes. Right now." Rinoa urged him.

"There are too many people here. There's no room," he said, knowing it was a weak argument and not putting much effort into resisting her invitation in any case.

"They'll make room. Come on, dance with me." she said, still smiling.

"All right," he capitulated, pulling her into his arms. He paused for a moment, listening to the music. Finally finding the beat, the simple three-four time signature that every waltz ever composed adhered to, he began to dance.

As Rinoa had predicted, the gathered crowd, sparse at first then growing as they danced, _did_ make room for them. And the musician flashed a quick grin at them and continued playing, keeping the beat measured and the melody sweet. Squall let the melody and the rhythm lead them both along, completely oblivious to the fact that they were both dancing in the street in front of strangers instead of within a gilded ballroom.

It didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was the woman in his arms. The only thing he paid attention to was her brilliant smile and the sparkle in her brown eyes. Those same, warm, bottomless brown eyes that he fell into, every time he gazed into them. And he fell deeper, each and every time. He didn't think he'd ever _stop_ falling. He'd simply fall forever, lost in her eyes.

The music finally ended and they stopped dancing but continued to gaze at each other, breaths steaming in the cold night air. They ignored the applause and comments of the onlookers, completely focused upon each other. Squall brought a hand up and caressed her soft cheek, marveling anew at its delicacy, then bent forward and kissed her.

He kept it brief but sweet, though Rinoa couldn't mistake the dark, smoldering look in his eyes as he pulled back. She rather suspected hers looked the same. Certainly, she felt the same way.

Recapturing her hand again, Squall said softly, "We should head back."

"Yeah." Rinoa agreed. As they turned to leave, Squall fished something out of his pocket and flipped it toward the musician. The twenty-gil piece landed in the guitar case with a muffled ping as they walked away. The man smiled wistfully after the young couple and returned to his playing with renewed energy. They had drawn a crowd with their dancing, and that crowd stayed, appreciating what the two lovers had enjoyed as well. It was shaping up to be a beautiful night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Sorry for the extended delay in completing this chapter. Distractions as always, abound. Still working on the illustrations project, and the next one up is for Future Says Run... dunno when I'll have anything worth posting but when I do I'll put it on my twitter page. I also want to complete a sort of "valentine" of Rinoa for Squall. Hopefully I'll manage to get that done by the 14th. Meanwhile, enjoy!
> 
> PS... I erred in the time signature for the waltz, as has been pointed out. My apologies, it has since been corrected.


	11. Chapter 11

Angelo greeted them with happy barks and whines when they returned, and Rinoa said, "I need to take her out for a minute. Just to make sure she's okay for the rest of the night."

"All right," Squall said, watching as Rinoa got a leash and some plastic bags, hooking the leash to the dog's collar. The dog meanwhile was wiggling and dancing in such a manner that Squall was hard put not to laugh at her antics. She was obviously happy at the prospect of a walk, brief though it might be.

Squall joined them of course, seeing no point to simply waiting alone in Rinoa's apartment for her. They wandered briefly around an apparently familiar route, as the dog paused here and there to sniff and leave her calling card. Rinoa had her hands occupied with Angelo's leash and the bags, which Squall discovered to his consternation, were brought along to deal with the dog's waste.

Jamming his hands deep into his pockets to warm them, he kept pace with Rinoa and her dog, wondering why the hell he suddenly felt so damn tired. Sitting on a plane for hours, crossing through who knew how many time zones, and then a substantial dinner with wine on top of it…. he supposed that would definitely have something to do with it. He'd traveled to and from Esthar before though, and had thought himself hardier than that.

"You're awfully quiet. Hard to tell sometimes what's in your mind." Rinoa commented.

Squall smiled slightly at this, replying, "Tired."

Rinoa smiled sympathetically, "I know how you feel. When I got home I was exhausted, and all I did was sit on a plane for six hours. I finally crashed for half a day and that sort of straightened everything out." then she sighed dramatically and gave him a mischievous look, adding, "Well, just because you're crashing at my place, don't feel like you have to put out or anything like that. I promise I won't make you do anything you don't want to do."

Squall couldn't help but laugh at that, replying with a raised eyebrow and a half-smile, "I believe I've heard that somewhere before." then his expression turned smoldering as he added, "It'll take a lot more than jet-lag to put me off my game. I can certainly _rise_ to the occasion if the situation requires me to."

"Is that an offer?" Rinoa asked archly, while her heart fluttered and a rush of heat under her skin turned her cheeks pink.

"If you want," Squall answered her, finding her pink cheeks and _almost_ flirtatious manner incredibly endearing. And so damned attractive it just about drove him mad.

Her next question however, hit his heart like a blow: "What do _you_ want, Squall?"

He swallowed and stared at her, momentarily unable to reply. _You. I want you. I want to hold you, make love with you, wake up with you…I want everything. I want to know how it feels to have…_ He couldn't finish the thought. He found it difficult, even in his own mind, to articulate what his heart and soul were clamoring for, craving.

But that was why he'd taken the time off from work and flown halfway across the world. So he could learn what it was that he'd been missing, and maybe…maybe finally find that missing piece of himself that he'd never realized before even existed.

Finally he answered her softly, "I want you." _For as long as you'll have me…_

Rinoa smiled gently at this, while her heart pounded a mile a minute, and said, "Come on."

They made their way back the way they'd come, with Rinoa pausing briefly to pitch one of her waste bags into the garbage. Instead of reaching for his hand, Rinoa instead stuck it in her pocket, an action that relieved Squall somewhat.

Upon returning to her apartment, Rinoa immediately headed toward the kitchen and washed her hands. Returning to where Squall stood waiting for her, she finally reached for his hands. Squall obligingly pulled his hands out of his pockets and threaded his fingers through hers.

"Let's go to bed," Rinoa invited, leaving it open as to whether or not it be just for sleep. Squall nodded, agreeing silently to her invitation and followed her as she tugged on his hands, leading him toward her bedroom.

It was odd; he'd been with more than a few women sexually, and could in no way be considered a novice at that activity. Yet he here he was actually feeling a little nervous. Perhaps it was because he was far outside of his comfort zone; in a different country, in Rinoa's home instead of his, in a situation that involved feelings that he'd never experienced before. Feelings that grew stronger by the moment.

Then Rinoa reached up and kissed him, and all he could think of from that instant was the feel, the taste of her lips on his. The only thing that mattered was the scent of her skin; how it felt under his fingertips when he let go of her hands and ran them up her arms to her face, cradling it. The warmth of her body as she wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled close, pressing against him, seeped into him.

He lingered on her lips, pressing his closer, sliding them over hers and teasing until they opened slightly and allowed him full access. He wanted to devour their warm, silken succulence then but he held off, wanting to take his time with her. So he employed his tongue to taste and tantalize while spearing his hands through Rinoa's hair and tangling his fingers through the silken strands.

Rinoa meanwhile had slipped her hands beneath his shirt and was caressing his back, wanting to see, and feel, and _taste_ more of his smooth skin. Knowing now what kind of lover he was, and being with him in this moment, had ignited a hunger within her to experience that again. This time, without the initial pain, Rinoa had little doubt that it would be…. fantastic. Amazing. Awesome.

They separated briefly, both breathless, for Rinoa to stroke her hands up his chest beneath his shirt, pulling it off, before pressing close again to kiss and nip gently at his neck and down to his nipples. It thrilled her to hear him gasp and moan softly as she teased and nibbled at them, gradually working her way downward. Intent upon something that would come as a complete surprise to him.

They had gradually been moving toward the bed as they'd kissed, with Squall now standing with his back to it while Rinoa continued to explore his torso with her lips and fingers. The first time she brushed her hands across the front of his jeans, where his excitement was plain, he thought it was just an inadvertent touch. The second time however, had more purpose as her fingers trailed upward to the waistband, unbuttoning the top and pulling the zipper down.

Then she was pressing close again and kissing him as her hands were smoothing up and down his back and over the curve of his butt, pushing his impeding clothing out of the way. When Rinoa started trailing her lips down Squall's chest and abdomen, he found it difficult to breathe; when she took hold of him and started to stroke and caress him, he thought he'd explode. When she sank down gracefully and took him into her mouth, his knees went weak and he nearly lost his mind.

"Rinoa…Oh my G-…" he whispered, closing his eyes and moaning, beyond the ability to form coherent thought. He was lost, completely lost in the sensations he was awash in, unable and unwilling to stop Rinoa's gentle assault upon his person.

Squall was wholly at her mercy. It was up to her to decide if she wanted to continue and let things come to their natural conclusion or hold off and take it in another direction. The only thing Squall was able to do was tangle his fingers through her hair and try to remember how to breathe. She continued her efforts, taking him deep, cradling and caressing him gently before sliding her hands up over his hips and around to his backside. She held on, using her grip for leverage as she continued to slide her mouth, lips and tongue all over him, bent upon drinking in his essence. When he looked down at her and saw her brown eyes sparkling as they met his, encouraging him to let go, he couldn't stand the aching tension any longer and did what her mouth and hands had urged him to do.

He came so hard it was all he could do to stay on his feet. A ragged moan was dragged from him as he clutched at Rinoa's hair while his knees went to water. He stayed upright as long as he could, but it wasn't very long until he simply _had_ to sit down onto the edge of the bed. Then he flopped backward and lay still, staring at the ceiling while waiting for his brain to start working again.

Light kisses and feathery caresses trailed upward toward his chest as Rinoa worked her way up to cuddle next to him, planting a lingering kiss on his shoulder. Squall glanced over and laughed breathlessly at the expression of smug mischief that Rinoa wore.

"So…?" Rinoa began, laughing with him.

"That was…" he let out a breath, "Unexpected." Then he looked over at Rinoa again, noticing that she was still mostly dressed while _he_ hadn't managed to get entirely out of his clothes either.

Rinoa frowned in confusion as he sat up, took off his shoes and pulled his pants off the rest of the way.

"Wait, aren't you…. done?" she asked, biting her lip.

"Yes," he answered her, lying back down onto the bed and pulling her into his arms. Kissing her deeply, he breathed, "but _you_ aren't." Rinoa's breath left her as he began nibbling at her ears and down her neck while deftly pulling off her shirt and bra.

"But I thought guys couldn't…uh…go again once they'd…um…" Rinoa said awkwardly, finding it hard to string words into a coherent sentence. Certainly not while Squall was occupied with teasing and fondling her breasts and nipples.

He paused and grinned down at her, then leaned forward to brush his lips teasingly against hers, saying, "I'll need a few minutes to…. reboot…. if you will, but trust me, I can do this all night if I want to." Then his grin turned wicked as he added, "Meanwhile, turnabout is fair play…" He returned his attention to Rinoa's body, kissing his way down to the waistband of her jeans, then undoing and pulling them off along with her underwear.

"Turna…wha…ooooooh!" Rinoa gasped, and then moaned as Squall began nibbling his way up her inner thigh. She very quickly lost the power of speech, finding that simply drawing breath was the best she could do, and that was only in gasps and moans.

He had her writhing in moments, and he hadn't even touched her center yet. The gentle nips, kisses and caresses that Squall was lavishing on the sensitive skin of her inner thigh was enough to make her burn and ache for more. When he touched and caressed her, the ache intensified and Rinoa responded with another low moan. When he replaced his teasing, manipulating fingers with his lips and tongue, she grasped the bedding for dear life and arched her back, aching, straining, and waiting for the tension to break free. A final flick of his tongue just as he slid two of his fingers inside of her was more than enough to do the trick.

Rinoa cried out and shuddered as pleasure flooded her body and left her gasping for air.

She went limp, her heart still thudding, body still throbbing, and simply tried to breathe. While she was still caught in the throes of her orgasm, Squall's fingers trailed lightly up her side, with his lips planting soft kisses all over her belly and chest.

She came back to herself with Squall nuzzling her neck and then kissing her cheek gently.

"Wow," She managed breathlessly.

"Mmmm." He responded. Then he caressed her cheek and smiled, asking, "Need a minute?"

Rinoa nodded, "Please."

He pulled her close against him and placed a whisper soft kiss on her lips and murmured, "No hurry. We've got all night."

"All night? What about the jetlag?" Rinoa asked him.

Squall raised an eyebrow at this, "I've still got fuel in the tank. Enough for another go round or two. Oh, it'll catch up to me eventually; but not any time soon." He moved his hand from her cheek to her thigh, marveling anew at its velvety smoothness. He let his hand travel upward to her hip and over to her backside, palming and caressing the smooth, firm flesh. He enjoyed a moment of pure male appreciation as he did; her ass was truly gorgeous.

"That's…. good to know," Rinoa managed. She was _still_ trying to catch her breath; Squall had turned the tables on her quite handily. And pressed so close to his body, she couldn't help but feel him awakening _again_ , his ardor returning far sooner than she'd thought possible. Obviously, it was far more than his physical proportions that were considered _impressive_ , at least according to those who'd heard so from his former clients.

A thought struck her then and she asked him, "You held back for me, didn't you? The first time we…."

"Made love?" He finished.

Rinoa frowned slightly at this and said, "I was going to say had sex. I remember you being rather clear in establishing that distinction."

"I know. That first night, before I learned you were a virgin, that's how I would have viewed it." He shifted, slowly moving his hand up from her butt to her waist, to finally reach and caress her breast, saying softly, "But that was before."

Rinoa's heart, only just starting to calm, started to pound again. Her skin, still sensitized, seemed to tingle at his light caresses.

Finding it difficult to draw in a full breath, Rinoa asked, "What changed?"

"Everything." He whispered, pressing his lips against hers in a gentle, lingering kiss. "To answer your earlier question, yes, I did hold back for you. I didn't want to frighten or hurt you. It's bad enough you had to endure that first bit of pain, but adding fear on top of it? I didn't want _that_ to be your first experience. So I did my best to see that you enjoyed it in spite of that. I'm glad that I managed to be successful."

"You were. It was far better than I could have possibly imagined." Rinoa whispered, caressing his cheek. "And if your intention was to have me coming back for more then you were successful in that aim as well."

Squall smiled slowly, "Thank you. I'm glad to hear it. Are you ready for more then?"

"Oh, yes…very much so." Rinoa breathed.

"Good." Squall said, covering her lips with his, branding them with a searing kiss.

Rinoa's eyes drifted closed as she speared her hands through his hair, drowning in the sensation of his kiss, the texture and flavor of his mouth on hers. She fought for breath even as he stole it with every kiss and caress, moaning as his lips traveled from hers and down her neck to her breasts. He suckled, teased and tantalized her nipples to hardened nubs, sending molten fire to her loins and making her shift and writhe at the aching hunger it raised.

At the same time, she let her hands roam where they would as well, discovering and flexing her awakening sensuality and feeling smug at the effect it had on Squall. Running her fingers through his hair and letting her nails scrape lightly along his scalp drew an appreciative growl from him. Doing the same with his smoothly muscled back made him gasp, while letting her lips follow her fingers over the hard planes of his chest and abdomen toward his groin, after he'd shifted onto his back, made him moan again.

When she took him in hand and began caressing him, fascinated by how quickly he was restored to readiness, he grasped her wrist, stopping her.

"Not this time." He murmured, making Rinoa smile at how she affected him. He smiled back and moved away for a moment to retrieve a condom from his pants pocket.

As he put it on, Rinoa commented, "You're very conscientious about that."

"Safer for both of us," He responded, returning to settle his body on top of hers, kissing her and threading his fingers through her hair. "Less to worry about afterward. I'd rather the only thing I left behind was a pleasant memory."

Rinoa couldn't reply; her voice was driven from her in a long gasp as he entered her in that moment, smoothly sheathing himself fully within her body, this time without any resistance. There was a brief instant of initial discomfort; a faint echo of the pain from their first encounter, but it quickly faded as her body adapted to Squall's intimate invasion. He paused then, trailing his lips along her cheek, leaving a tickling, tingling sensation behind as his lips made their way to hers.

"Okay?" he asked her, lips just brushing hers.

She nodded slightly, answering on a breath, "yes…"And it _was_. Her sensitized nerve endings, only just recovering from her earlier climax, sent shockwaves of pleasure at his every movement. When a slight shift of his body elicited another gasp from her, his purely male smile of smug, sensual satisfaction at her response made her want to melt.

Pressing his lips against hers, making her want to weep at the combination of sweetness and pure, unadulterated lust that even that light contact could transmit, Squall finally whispered, "Good. I promise you, this will be _much_ better than our first time."

With that statement, he began moving, gently at first, with long, smooth strokes. As he did he paid strict attention to Rinoa's responses; he _tried_ to anyway. The way she felt under and around him, the way she responded to his every kiss and touch, was enough to make him lose his mind. As she was still new to the activity however, he did his best not to get too carried away. But with her legs wrapped around his hips and her hands sliding up and down his back, coupled with the fact that she fit him like a glove, he was fighting a losing battle.

_Gods…you feel so good…so TIGHT…_ He was on the verge of whispering that hotly into her ear, but what was in his mind remained stuck there, for a number of reasons. One reason was because he didn't know if that would excite her or put her off (some women enjoyed that sort of thing, but not all of them did), another was…. well…he was too focused on what he was doing. It was short-circuiting the conduit between his brain and his mouth (which in retrospect was probably a good thing). It wouldn't have mattered much anyway; Rinoa was vocal enough for the both of them, though it was mainly gasps and moans that she uttered.

Not even if her life had depended upon it could she have formed a coherent sentence. Not while awash and drowning in the sensations assaulting her. It was all she could do to breathe as Squall surged and retreated, his movements becoming more forceful and confident at her obvious enjoyment. And everything, _everything_ , from the heat and weight of his body atop hers, the slide of muscle under sweat-slicked skin, his scent, the taste of his kisses, the feel of him within her…it all combined to transport her to a sensual height that she'd never before experienced.

The slow build to that final crescendo was maddening for her though, making her reach and claw for it, digging her nails into Squall's back as she strove with him, meeting him thrust for thrust…. urging him to step up the intensity. He did so at her silent urging, no longer able to even think; he was as lost in her as she was in him.

When she finally came with a gasping, sobbing cry, pulsing around him and shuddering in his arms, he followed her, gasping and groaning at the intense flood of sensation that left him momentarily deaf, dumb and blind.

He came to himself practically crushing her in his arms, heart still thumping heavily, still fighting to regain his breath. Hearing Rinoa's similarly labored breaths, Squall loosened his hold on her and looked down into her face, studying her in the aftermath of their interlude. Her eyes were closed and her face was flushed, lips moist and slightly parted. He'd never seen a more beautiful sight in his life, and was compelled to press his lips against hers so he could taste them once again. Her fingers speared through his hair as he kissed her, lingering over it, savoring it, before he finally pulled back.

"Wow," she said, finally finding her voice, trailing her fingers from the back of his head to caress his cheek. "You were right…it was… _you_ were…much better this time." Then she added awkwardly, "not that you were bad before…"

"I wasn't too rough? I didn't want to get too carried away and hurt you…" Squall asked her softly. Ordinarily he was perfectly confident in his skills, but again, this situation was outside the norm for him. So, while she hadn't given any indication of discomfort at any point, he _did_ worry a little. Particularly as he _had_ in fact gotten carried away, at least to his way of thinking. Certainly any attempt at control had quickly slipped though his fingers like water. That had never happened to him before. With _anyone_.

Rinoa sighed languorously and smiled up at him, slipping her hands around to his back to hug him tightly, caressing his warm, smooth skin again. There was something soft and nakedly vulnerable in his gaze that went straight to her heart.

"No, you weren't." She reassured him softly. He gave her a relieved, almost shy smile and kissed her again before shifting and withdrawing from her. She sighed again as he got up and headed toward the bathroom, missing his warmth and being held in his arms already. Then she smiled, appreciating his rear view as he walked away from her. She appreciated his frontal view as he returned even more.

He paused, a small grin gracing his expression as he caught her staring, and did a bit of staring of his own before finally asking, "What?"

"I just can't get over how gorgeous you are. So, yeah, I have to stare." Rinoa answered him with a smile.

He shook his head, chuckling softly as he continued toward the bed, replying, "That's twice now that you've stolen my line." He yawned suddenly and covered his mouth, blinking in its aftermath.

Rinoa laughed softly and got up, pulling the bedcovers back, "Looks like the jetlag's finally caught up with you. Get in. I'll be back in a minute."

He came up to her, standing so close that they were nearly touching, and rested his hands lightly on her hips as he leaned in and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. Rinoa slid her arms around his waist and pulled close, resting against his chest. She smiled contentedly to herself as his embrace tightened in response to hers.

"All right." He finally said and released her, stepping around her to get into the bed and shift over so as to leave room for her. He propped his head on his fist and watched her leave to make use of the facilities as he had.

He blinked his burning eyes as he waited, the fatigue that his errant yawn had hinted at suddenly crashing down upon him. He was a little disappointed in himself. He thought he had more stamina than _that_. True, he'd just gotten out of the hospital but it was a relatively minor injury and he'd healed from it completely. He thought about the bottle of healing elixir that he'd brought with him and considered using it, then abandoned the thought. There was no real reason for him to do so; it was simple fatigue and nothing more. He had been awake now for nearly twenty hours, if one added the time difference, the time it had taken him to prepare to leave, travel to the airport _and_ the time he'd spent in the airport prior to boarding, to his six-plus hour flight.

Still, he'd wanted nothing more than to make love with Rinoa all night. Sadly, it looked as though that plan would have to be abandoned in favor of sleep. He'd have to content himself with simply holding her in his arms instead. As she returned from the bathroom and approached the bed, Squall looked his fill just as she had.

Even though he was too tired to do _exactly_ everything that he wanted that night, he found that he was more than happy with the alternative.

She turned out the light before crawling under the covers with him and snuggling into his arms. He hugged her close, caressing her smooth skin and sighed quietly.

Rinoa too was caressing his skin, lightly running her fingers up and down his chest, letting her tactile senses tell her of the smooth, hard planes of his chest and abdomen in the intimate darkness. He was quiet, but she could tell by his breathing that he was still awake.

Finally she whispered, "I'm glad you're here. I didn't expect you to be willing to fly all the way out here, but I'm glad you did."

He was silent for a moment, before he said softly, "It was all I could think about. I spent all last week lying in a hospital bed, with nothing but you on my mind. I had to see you again."

Rinoa's breath hitched at this, "You were in a hospital last week? Why? What happened?" She shifted, peering anxiously into his face in the darkness.

"The situation that called me away from you was a dangerous one. I resolved it but not without suffering a bad concussion for my trouble." Squall explained, reaching up to caress her cheek.

"You're okay now, right? You seemed okay…" Rinoa asked, trying and failing to see his expression. With the lights off, all she could see was varying gradients of darkness. Dim ambient light seeped in through the curtains in her bedroom window, reflected from the streetlights outside. But it was only enough to give her the ability to discern his shape; a darker shadow amongst all the others.

That shadow nodded, confirming, "I'm fine. No ill effects. Things would have gone rather differently for us tonight had it been otherwise."

Rinoa felt her cheeks warm at this and she laughed slightly, "Yeah, you're right." She shifted position again and snuggled close, pillowing her head on his chest again. She sighed as she felt his hand gently caressing her hair.

"I'm still kind of surprised you're here though. I mean, I'm not even a blond…" Rinoa began.

Squall's snort interrupted her, "That." Sighing heavily, he continued, " _That_ was a…professional preference. I'm not as strongly attracted to blonds so it was easier to keep things at a …certain level."

"So…" Rinoa began slowly, trying to understand his explanation, "You preferred blonds because you _weren't_ attracted to them?"

"Not as strongly, no. A beautiful woman's a beautiful woman, regardless of hair color, so I could still do the job I was hired to do. But it was easier not to get carried away if the attraction wasn't that strong. I hadn't done that sort of thing for long enough to get jaded, so…" He shrugged in the darkness.

"What type of woman are you attracted to then?" Rinoa asked, wondering if she really wanted to know. What if she still wasn't actually his type and he was there simply to…what? Get laid again? If that were all that he wanted he wouldn't have taken himself off the concierge list or flown halfway around the world. No. He'd said he wanted to see her again, that he was where he wanted to be. That implied something more than physical in his interest.

"Haven't you guessed already?" he asked her in turn, sounding amused. "Petite brunettes of course." His hand gently touched the side of her face, tilting it upward. Brushing his thumb lightly over her lower lip, he replaced it with his lips, kissing her lightly.

"I have to apologize. All night long I couldn't tear my eyes off of you. You're so beautiful I couldn't stop staring. And I never said a word." He whispered.

Rinoa couldn't speak. Her heart had leaped into her throat and stopped any attempt to articulate anything. What _could_ she say to something like that? Thank you? I love you? It wasn't possible to fall in love with a man that she'd known for less than a week and had sex with exactly twice, was it? _Was it_?

Instead she lightly traced her hand up from his chest to the side of his face, and just as he did, used it to guide her to his lips. She pressed her lips against his, concentrating on their softness and flavor, gradually deepening the kiss. Heat rose as hands began roaming over smooth skin. Gods help her, she wanted him again. She couldn't help but discover _his_ interest had awakened once again as well when her hand had strayed downward to fondle him.

"I thought you were too tired for another go." She whispered.

"I guess I was mistaken," Squall whispered back. He shifted then, trying to remember where he'd stashed his condoms, then lay back down onto the bed with a frustrated growl. They were still packed away. He'd only had the one actually accessible in his pants pocket. _Way to be prepared, genius._

"What?" Rinoa asked, fascinated and more than a little excited at how quickly he'd recovered from the last time they'd made love.

"I only had the one condom out, the rest are…out of reach." He sighed, heart pounding and body throbbing with frustrated desire.

"I have some here," Rinoa said, turning away. The sound of a drawer opening and closing sounded in the darkness. "I bought some earlier…before you got here. Just in case."

"I…see…" Squall said, and could say nothing more. He caught his breath and swallowed as he felt Rinoa's hand stroking down his shaft as she covered him. Before he could move, she was straddling him, teasing him with her proximity as she leaned forward, pressing him into the bed and kissing him senseless.

In the darkness, it was all about tactile senses, taste, sound and scent. The hot slide of her tongue over his, the flavor and texture of her kiss. The harsh rasp of labored breaths, the scrape of nails on skin as Rinoa braced herself against his chest. The smooth firmness of her thighs and hips as he slid his hands upward to grasp them. Her sighing moans as he guided her onto him.

Then it was all passion and heat, a waking dream; an erotic fantasy. They explored each other with their lips and their hands, memorizing each other's bodies by feel and by scent. And Rinoa was lost and drifting in those sensations as they strove together toward the peak.

The rough, almost painful scrape of his teeth against her nipples, the hot slide of his lips up her neck, added to the tension coiling within her with every kiss, caress and thrust. She moved with him, stroke for stroke, heart racing and lungs laboring, wanting more, more…he gave her all that she desired, until the tension was released and every nerve ending seemed to fire at once in a never-ending wave of bliss.

She came with a sobbing, shuddering moan, and Squall tightened his grip on her and redoubled his efforts, reaching his peak hard upon the heels of hers. It rose up and drowned him, smothering him under a flood of sensation. He came to himself with his arms wrapped around her, crushing her to his chest as his racing heart and laboring lungs gradually began to calm. Rinoa too had her arms wrapped around him and her fingers tangled in his hair.

He loosened his hold on her, gently letting his hands slide down her back while Rinoa moved her hands to his face, resting her forehead against his.

"Wow," she whispered.

"Yeah," Squall whispered back. His lips found hers again in a gentle, lingering kiss. They remained joined together for several moments, unwilling to part just yet. Then Rinoa shifted with a quiet sigh and moved back to her side of the bed, smiling to herself at the way Squall's hand trailed down her thigh as she moved away from him.

She snuggled under the blankets, blinking sleepily as Squall's shadowy form exited the bed briefly. The sound of running water came from the bathroom moments later, and shortly after that Squall returned to the bed.

As he shifted and reordered their bedding, Rinoa reached for him, her hand coming into contact with his hip, stroking lightly up his side. This prompted him to roll over onto his side facing her and pull her into his arms. She cuddled close; planting a soft kiss on the notch at the base of his throat while his hand stroked her hair lightly. Squeezing her eyes shut, she sighed deeply. She had never felt so warm, so safe…. so protected… and so wonderful.

A deep sigh from the man holding her ruffled her hair, then he whispered, "Good night, Rinoa."

"Good night, Squall." She whispered back.

Silence closed in on them both, and Rinoa could feel sleep gradually stealing over her. Squall's breathing steadied and deepened, and she could tell by that he'd already fallen asleep, travel fatigue combined with the energy he'd expended that night finally taking their toll.

Part of her still couldn't believe he was actually there, despite the warm comfort she was feeling as he held her in his arms. The bubbly upwelling of joy and excitement that she'd felt earlier that morning as she anticipated his arrival was still there, though tempered by the sensual overload of their lovemaking. She certainly couldn't fault his skills in that area; after all, he'd taken on the daunting task of initiating her into the activity in the first place and managing to actually make it not only pleasant but also wonderful.

Now, enough time had passed that her body had healed from her first time and that had made all the difference this time around. _This_ time the sex had been nothing short of amazing. She smiled smugly to herself at this; recalling how she'd surprised Squall with _her_ skills, something that she'd enjoyed _seeing_ nearly as much as he'd apparently enjoyed experiencing.

She sighed again, drifting gently into sleep, wrapped warmly in the arms of her lover, breathing in the spicy, musky scent of his skin, and feeling true bliss for the first time in her life.

* * *

Squall woke to the feel of another body pressed close against his… not an unusual occurrence, given his occupation. _Former_ occupation, he amended mentally. He sighed, shifting, and felt another body, a smaller one, lying next to his legs. Blinking, he craned his head over and saw Rinoa's dog, Angelo, curled up on the end of the bed.

Snorting softly, he returned his attention to the woman whose bed he shared, draping his arm over her slender waist and pulling her close. He simply lay there awhile, allowing himself to luxuriate in the warmth of her body next to his, the silken feel of her skin, and the scent of her hair as he nuzzled the back of her neck. He was normally up and about much earlier than this, but he didn't want to leave. Not yet.

Not when he could, if Rinoa was amenable, repeat last night's lovemaking.

She surprised him, on many different levels, not the least of which was the way she had almost literally blown his mind the previous night. And while he wanted her again with a fierce hunger, what he felt in his heart was equally strong. He didn't want to name it yet however. It was too soon for him to attempt to identify it.

But it had taken root within him virtually the moment he laid his eyes upon her, and it had gown gradually, whether he willed it or no. At the moment, he decided to let it be to do what it would. He would try to anyway; uncertainty was not something he dealt with very well, and this entire visit was fraught with it. He had no guarantee that Rinoa would want anything to do with him again after his visit; nor could he guarantee that _his_ interest would hold beyond this week.

Though if he was to be honest with himself, Squall didn't see his fascination with her waning for a long time to come…. if ever. Not when the mere sight of her smile was enough to set his heart pounding.

He watched her sleep and debated over waking her or not. On the one hand, she looked so beautiful and peaceful, so innocent in slumber the he didn't want to disturb her. On the other hand, he was craving the taste of her lips and the feel of her body beneath and around him once again. Positively aching for it, as a matter of fact.

She sighed and shifted, rubbing against that part of him that was even more awake than _he_ was, prompting him to groan softly at the sensation. Gods, she was killing him.

He planted a soft kiss on her shoulder, then transferred his lips to her neck, kissing it lightly, tracking his lips upward toward her cheek. He followed a similar path with his hand, stroking upward along her flat belly toward a breast, cupping, then caressing it. She shifted again, her breathing quickening on a soft moan, betraying the fact that she'd awakened. The movement rubbed against him in a most distracting manner, leading him to believe it was deliberate.

"Good morning," he whispered, lips brushing her ear. He smiled to himself as he saw her shiver. She shifted around to face him, and he pulled her flush against his body.

"Good morning," she murmured in return, slowly smoothing her hand down his back to his firm backside and over his hip.

"Very," he breathed, dropping feathery kisses along her cheek. "So far anyway." His hand traveled down her back to her butt, pressing her into him and leaving no doubt as to _how_ awake he was.

Rinoa's heart started to race and an ache started low in her groin as she managed to ask, "I'm guessing morning dragon-breath isn't a deterrent for you?"

"I don't mind yours if you don't mind mine," he murmured, brushing his lips teasingly over hers.

"mmm..." Rinoa sighed, closing her eyes and leaning into his kiss. "Just kiss me."

Squall needed no further encouragement to meld his lips with hers, molding her body to his as he devoured her lips, the kiss inflaming both of them.

"With pleasure," Squall whispered. Rinoa moaned softly as his hands traveled her body, leaving trails of gooseflesh and making her breath come short. His lips followed where his hands had led, the heat they left behind threatening to melt her from the inside.

"Are…." She gasped, breathless, "Are you always this…." She swallowed. Gods, she couldn't think. "Passionate…. in the mornings?" Squall paused, frowning down at her slightly. Then he leaned away from her for a moment, the cessation of his kisses and caresses leaving her heart pounding and body aching. _Oh…please don't stop…_ Rinoa begged him silently, hoping that she hadn't…. distracted him...with her question.

She needn't have worried. He returned to his former position, twitching a condom between his fingers with one eyebrow raised. Rinoa's mouth went dry and her heart threatened to burst from her chest in anticipation as he prepared himself.

He settled himself against her, his body covering hers, his heat warming her. He gently caressed her cheek then kissed her deeply as he slid home and drew a throaty moan from Rinoa as his body joined with hers.

Finally, as he started to move, he breathed, "No. Not always." Then no more words could be exchanged as she wrapped her arms around him and held him to her, following the surge and retreat of his movements. She couldn't think anymore, just feel, and what she felt…. was overwhelming. She was drowning, lost in the passion that had control of them both. She wrapped her legs around his hips as well, striving with him to reach the peak, heart pounding and lungs fighting for air.

And everything, _everything_ fell away, leaving only the man in her arms and the sensations he evoked with every movement and touch, every kiss and caress. She let it all wash over her and sweep her away, the tension building to an unbearable, almost painful level. Rinoa's nails bit into his back, a sign of that tension, as she silently begged for more. Squall stepped up his pace and intensity, instinct taking over and telling him exactly what was needed to reach that sweet release that they both ached for. And he gave her what she asked for with her moans, cries and movements.

A final thrust, and she arched her back with a shuddering cry, coming apart in his arms as her release flooded her with a wave of pleasure. Squall simply watched her, completely fascinated by the sight of her in the throes of passion. And her moans and sighs, the feel of her trembling and pulsing beneath and around him, drew him with her. He followed her willingly to that peak, achieving his own release hard upon the heels of hers, gasping and groaning himself at its intensity.

It felt like his heart would burst, his lungs falter and fail. His mind went blank for a moment as the pleasure washed over him, and all he could focus upon was what both he and Rinoa were feeling in that moment. A moment that was far too brief; it took but a few heartbeats for the wave to pass and his heart begin to calm.

And he and Rinoa simply stared into each other's eyes, what they were feeling still too new to be articulated, or identified. He'd been telling the truth when he'd admitted that this level of passion first thing in the morning wasn't a common occurrence. He usually got up before his clients did and made them coffee, arranged their itinerary and set off on his morning run before they stirred. Oh, there was a rare few that were early risers like he was, who'd join him in his first cup and even jog with him after they'd had sex. But that wasn't often, and Squall had actually preferred it that way.

But this was different. Everything was different. But….it also felt…right. He knew he had only a limited time to be with her, only a week. He refused to think about that however. He didn't want to think about leaving her. He also didn't want to think about how he might manage to continue to see her, be with her, when half a world would separate them when he returned to Esthar.

It was too soon to be thinking of that anyway. By the time they reached the end of his stay, either she or he might conclude that as pleasant as their interlude had been, it was just a moment out of time. A fling. They would go their separate ways with hopefully good memories of that time, and move on. No one could predict the future.

He bent forward and kissed her again. And whether he wanted it to or not, what he felt was transmitted in that kiss. It held all the tenderness and longing and everything else that had left his heart full to overflowing. The sheer sweetness was enough to make Rinoa's eyes sting with tears.

"I'll be right back," Squall said softly, giving her another kiss and caressing her cheek before he withdrew and got out of bed.

Rinoa sighed as he left, staring unabashedly at his body and feeling like she'd won the lottery. She certainly felt as lucky as though she had; nobody she'd dated in the past even came close to being as sexy. Not even Allyn, though he'd certainly been handsome enough for her.

She rolled onto her side and snuggled under the blankets, missing Squall's warmth already as the morning chill started to seep in. Her body still thrummed from their lovemaking, and she wrapped her arms around herself as she recalled the feel of his hands caressing her, lips kissing her, body covering hers… she was very tempted to simply spend the rest of the day in bed with him.

But she had to get up. Her body had other needs that had to be dealt with, and once those were addressed, she needed to walk Angelo.

Squall returned to Rinoa's bed, shivering slightly in the chill, but rather than getting back into the bed, he knelt down beside it and caressed her hair lightly.

"Chilly morning," Rinoa commented, prompting Squall to smile ruefully at her.

"That obvious is it?" he asked.

"I saw you shiver. Didn't notice anything else." She smiled at him.

"Thank you for that." His smile turned gentle, as he suggested, "Why don't you go and take your shower? I'll make some coffee."

"All right. If you want, you can use my robe. It's terrycloth, so it should be warm. It's hanging on the back of the bathroom door." Rinoa suggested.

Squall laughed softly, "Okay, if it fits."

"It should, its a little oversized on me." she replied.

"And fortunately, _not_ pink. Thank you." He said, standing up and reaching down for her hand. She placed her hand in his and he gently gripped it and helped her out of bed, pulling her into his arms.

Rinoa wrapped her arms around him then and leaned into his warmth, sighing happily. Squall tightened his arms around her, caressing her back and enjoying the feel of her in his arms far too much. Finally he pulled back slightly and kissed her forehead softly.

"Come on," he said, shifting to her side and leaving one arm around her, guiding her to the bathroom.

Once they got there, he pulled the robe off of the hook on the back of the door as Rinoa got the shower started. She turned around just as he was putting the robe on. Or _attempting_ to, at any rate.

"Well, oversized for you is obviously still not big enough for me," Squall commented wryly, glancing down at the garment that barely covered him. He could cinch it closed, but only just, and any movement at all would have it gaping open in a very revealing manner. Rinoa couldn't help it, she giggled at the image he presented. He glanced up from studying the way sleeves of the robe stopped more than six inches short of his wrists and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, dear!" she said, covering her mouth with her hand. "You're so slender I thought that it'd fit. I'm sorry!"

He snorted and took the robe off, returning it to the hook, "Don't be. Don't know why I even thought that would fit. You're _petite_. As in small." Then he approached her with a half smile quirking his lips and added, "and trim, and delicate and _gorgeous_." He concluded, stopping only when his lips met hers softly.

Rinoa's heart fluttered, then she slapped playfully at his chest as she managed to say breathlessly, "Go! Get out of here and make the coffee or we'll never get out of the bedroom!"

He chuckled as she ducked into the shower and said, "You say that like it's a _bad_ thing."

"Go! Coffee! NOW!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Squall retorted teasingly, even going so far as to salute her, despite the fact that she was now in the shower and couldn't see it.

He padded out of the bathroom and through her bedroom into the living room, blinking as he noticed the dog on the couch, and wondering when she'd left the bedroom. He'd been so wrapped up in making love with Rinoa, he hadn't noticed. Well, at least Rinoa's dog didn't appear to be the sort to take offense at the liberties he was taking with her mistress. Either that, or she'd already accepted him as part of her pack. He pondered that for a moment, wondering how significant that was. The dog pricked up her ears and yawned as he passed, watching him as he made his way to the kitchen.

Squall yawned as well, rubbing at the gooseflesh on his arms. Okay, it wasn't that cold, not really, but definitely cooler than was comfortable for strolling around buck-naked. He'd get the coffee started and see if he couldn't duck into Rinoa's shower with her.

He spent the next several minutes poking around Rinoa's cupboards looking for coffee filters, her grinder, the beans…which turned out she'd kept in the freezer properly sealed in an airtight plastic storage bag. He filled the pot with cold water and got the brewer ready, then started grinding the beans.

The noise of the grinder was all he could hear for the next few minutes, certainly long enough to drown out the sound of a key rattling in the lock on Rinoa's front door. So he was caught completely by surprise when he started the coffeemaker and turned around to see an auburn haired young woman staring at him with wide green eyes.

They simply stared at each other, both frozen in place, neither sure of what to do next.

Finally the girl, glancing around, called out, "Rinoa? There's a sexy, naked guy making coffee in your kitchen!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everybody's dream, right? Sexy naked guy in your kitchen, making coffee? Okay, maybe not everybody has the same dreams that I do...er... TMI. sorry. Soooo...not much to see here. move on.
> 
> sorry it took me so long to update. Life has this way of taking precedence whether you want it to or not. it happens to all of us


	12. Chapter 12

In retrospect, Squall had to admit that making himself _this_ much at home in Rinoa's apartment, without first learning if she had any friends with keys to the place that were apt to drop by unannounced, was probably not the best idea he'd ever had. He wasn't shy about his body at all, but it _was_ a little awkward standing there completely nude while the girl simply stared at him. _Part_ of him, at least. Unfortunately, it was the part that was the most affected by the cold and the least impressive as a result.

"She's in the shower." Squall finally said.

The girl returned her attention back to him, or rather, his groin, prompting his cheeks to warm and him to say stiffly, "Miss?" He gestured upward with his hand, indicating she should perhaps look at something else. Like his _face_.

She met his eyes again and tilted her head, narrowing her eyes and studying his face. Squall could almost _hear_ the wheels turning in her head, and for some reason had an accompanying mental image of a small rodent scampering madly upon said wheels.

Then her eyes opened wide as apparently, the light bulb in her brain came on and she exclaimed, "It's you!"

"What?" he asked, puzzled.

"You're the guy! The…concierge! From the resort!" she continued, surprise fading away to a wide, brilliant smile as she added, "And you're _here_!"

"Are you…. a friend of Rinoa's?" he asked her cautiously.

"Yes," She answered, still smiling. "Selphie Tilmitt. We put the trip…and your fee… on my card for Rinoa. _And_ ," she added, smile growing wider, "it was _my_ card that you refunded."

"I see. So you got it then." Squall said calmly.

"Yes! I did!" she confirmed enthusiastically, her growing excitement becoming more and more evident by her animated movements. Squall wouldn't be surprised to see her bouncing next.

"So, why did you refund the fee anyway? And when did you send it? I mean, I just got the text from the credit card people Friday night about the pending credit and I know it takes a few days to process, right? And now you're here! WOW! That's so totally cool!" Selphie exclaimed, clapping her hands animatedly.

Squall sighed and held his hand up, stopping her from exploding into another round of rapid-fire questions.

"I'll… get Rinoa." He said and walked back toward the bedroom. Fortunately he didn't glance back at Selphie, or he would have seen her fanning herself as he walked away.

He entered the bedroom and shut the door behind him, turning toward the bathroom just as the door opened and Rinoa came out, toweling her hair off and wearing her terrycloth robe. He paused for a moment and watched her, smiling slightly at how adorable she looked.

"Oh, is the coffee ready?" she asked, finally noticing him standing there.

"Almost." He said, coming up to her. She immediately wrapped her arms around him and pressed her body close against his, warming him. He appreciated her efforts, for the chill _was_ starting to get to him. He hadn't intended to stand out in the living room stark naked and have a conversation with a strange girl.

"Oh, goodness! You're freezing! Go get in the shower and get warmed up. There's plenty of hot water left." Rinoa urged him.

"All right. Um…. you have a. …Visitor," Squall said.

"A visitor? Someone's _here_?" Rinoa asked him, frowning. Then her eyes widened as she recalled his unclothed state and she added, "You _talked_ to them?"

Squall sighed, "Yes, I did. Apparently your friend, Selphie, has a key. And, I'm afraid she got rather a better look at me than I intended."

Rinoa groaned, "Oh, dear. I had no idea she'd be coming by today. And yes, she does have a key. I gave it to her when she was dog sitting for me last weekend. She probably was coming by to return it." Then she reached up and gave him a soft kiss, one that, once initiated, was very difficult for either of them to avoid escalating. They parted, both short of breath and with hearts pounding, and for Squall at least, other, more obvious effects clearly visible.

Glancing down Rinoa smiled slightly and said, "you'd better go take that shower now. Won't do to let Selphie see you like _that_."

"She's not the sort that would see this as an invitation, would she?" Squall asked, suddenly worried.

Rinoa laughed, "She might, but I don't think you have anything to worry about right now at least."

"All right then," Squall said, diving in for another quick, soft kiss before heading for the bathroom.

Rinoa left him to it, shutting the bedroom door firmly behind her to find Selphie waiting for her in the kitchen, sipping at a cup of coffee. Before she could say anything, her friend attacked her with earsplitting squeals.

"OH MY GOD RIN! I had no _idea_ he was so HOT! I mean, he looked good in the picture but all it showed was his _face_. The rest is just _un-freaking-believable_! And he just showed up _here_? Just to see you? When?" Selphie exclaimed, fortunately having the foresight to set her coffee aside before she pounced on Rinoa and enveloped her in an enthusiastic hug.

"Yesterday afternoon. He called me Friday night but I was out with you so I let it go to voicemail." Rinoa answered, smiling at Selphie's infectious enthusiasm.

"And I can just guess at what you two have been doing since, right?" Selphie said with a wink.

Rinoa blushed fiercely and said, "Well, its not like the evidence is at all ambiguous…" Selphie laughed at this and shook her head.

"Well," Selphie said, fanning herself exaggeratedly, "As off-the-charts sexy as he is, I can see why. I'd be all over him if I were you. And I gotta be honest, I'm seriously wishing that I _was_. Even with all those scars, he makes my knees go weak just looking at him. What happened to him anyway? I mean, it doesn't take away from how good-looking he is, but he certainly looks like he's had some rough times."

"He used to be a SeeD." Rinoa answered. "And as you can tell, it's a pretty dangerous job."

"Yeah. I guess." Selphie said, moving back to the counter to pick up her coffee and take a sip. "That also explains the martial arts instruction part." She put her coffee back down and took a seat at the barstool next to the counter, resting one elbow on the surface and her chin upon her fist.

"So, I'm gonna go out on a limb and take a wild guess that his visit here _isn't_ business related, right? 'Cause I'm kinda doubting that you paid him to come here, and I know damn sure it isn't money he's after anyway." Selphie said.

Rinoa frowned, "No. He just said that he wanted to see me, that's all. I mean, maybe the first time…we were together… it was his job but…"

Selphie smiled gently at this and said, "Sweetie? No, it wasn't."

Rinoa stared at Selphie, confused, and said, "I don't….understand. What do you mean it wasn't his job? He was _paid_ to be my concierge, right? And.…to be with… have _sex_ with… me? You paid for his fee along with the spa package. Didn't you?"

"Yes, Quistis chipped in her bit and we put the whole package on my card but…Rinoa, he refunded his fee back to me." Selphie answered, her smile growing broader. He had to have refunded his fee on either Saturday or Sunday of that weekend, because it didn't actually hit her card until the following Friday. Four days, taking into account that banks weren't generally open on weekends and her card company might have held the credit for a day or two as well…

"He _refunded_ … When?" Rinoa asked her, heart starting to pound at what that implied.

"Sometime that weekend. I'm not sure of the exact day, but I can find out," Selphie offered.

"No, it…it's alright. I think I know." Rinoa said softly, recalling that weekend. Then she returned her attention to Selphie and said, "Selphie, I don't think I ever thanked you and Quistis for sending me on that trip." She moved closer to her friend and wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug.

"Thank you so much," She whispered. Pulling back, she added, "I hope you don't mind but I've decided to take Squall with me tonight to the Bears game. It's an important one and I have to be there, and he seemed interested in going."

Selphie smiled widely and said, "I don't mind at all. Just be sure you give him a big kiss when they turn the kiss cam on you. I'll be watching from home to cheer you on!"

Rinoa laughed, "Selphie, we'll be in the owner's box, remember? They probably won't even see us there!"

"Hey, I've seen them focus on the owner's box from time to time. More now, since the Bears have made the playoffs." Selphie said.

"Well, maybe. If they do then I definitely will kiss him. Speaking of which," Rinoa started, prompting Selphie to laugh, "I'll take my key back now," Selphie handed it back, still laughing. "And, not to be rude but I'm going to have to bid you a good day. I have something I need to do right now."

Selphie winked, still laughing, and said, "Have fun! Wait 'til Quistis gets wind of _this_! I can't wait to see her face!"

Rinoa followed Selphie to the door and gave her a final wave before shutting it firmly behind her and locking it securely. Then she turned and headed purposefully toward her bedroom, a secret smile playing about her lips.

* * *

Squall was just pulling a shirt from one of the drawers Rinoa had assigned to him when the door to the bedroom opened and she came in, closing it behind her and leaning against it, smiling at him. She was still wearing her white terry cloth robe; she hadn't gotten dressed yet when her friend Selphie had arrived. Her inky hair was still tumbled about from her towel drying, as she hadn't had the chance to run a comb through it; she hadn't put on any makeup yet either. It didn't matter. Makeup or no, her skin glowed, and her dark-lashed brown eyes sparkled, needing no enhancement to captivate him. Gods above, she _still_ looked innocent and pure, a perfect angel fallen to earth. And he felt completely unworthy of her.

Then she came up to him, holding him frozen with the glow that seemed to brighten as she came closer, the inexplicable joy that emanated from her as she finally reached him, touched him, ran her hands gently up his chest to the back of his neck to pull him into an ardent kiss that stole his breath and stopped his heart.

_What was happening to him?_

He didn't know, but whatever it was, it both frightened and exhilarated him. That sense of dread that came from the feeling of falling was instead gradually replaced by excitement as _falling_ began to feel like _flying_.

"Too bad you've already started to get dressed," she commented softly, starting his heart again by delicately playing her fingers through the still damp hair at the back of his neck. He swallowed, heart thumping heavily.

"That can be remedied," he murmured, suddenly aching to make love with her again. He pressed her close against him, caressing her cheek with the backs of his fingers, unable to stop touching her soft, smooth skin. He let his fingers trail lightly down her neck to her collarbone, following the edge of the robe to where one edge overlapped the other, forming a V in the center her chest. He nudged the cloth aside with his hand, slipping it under the robe to palm and caress one of Rinoa's breasts. Her head fell back with a sigh that Squall stopped by sealing his lips over hers.

He transferred the hand on her back to join his other hand as it worked the loosely knotted sash that held the robe closed, letting both hands explore the contours of her body that were revealed when it fell open. He transferred his hands to her shoulders, pushing the robe off of them, and Rinoa shrugged and helped the garment to fall away, leaving her bare.

She knew she needed to take Angelo out, get some coffee into both of them and do something about breakfast, but truthfully, that all could wait. After hearing Selphie's news, all she wanted to do was to hold Squall in her arms, kiss him silly and make love with him all damn day. Rinoa knew that wasn't something that she could _actually_ do, but she could at least manage once more before they had to get on with the day.

And she was just as compelled to touch and caress _his_ body, as he was _hers_. Letting her hands and fingers explore the different textures of his skin: smooth and unblemished, roughened by hair in various amounts in various areas, ridged by scars… her fingers and hands read them all, imprinting those tactile impressions into her heart just as the scent of his skin, the flavor of his kisses were.

They were back on the bed in a heartbeat, skin to skin, thumping hearts and labored breaths serving to stoke the heat that rose between them.

"Gods," Squall whispered breathlessly, trailing his lips back up the side of Rinoa's neck to her ears. "What you do to me. I can't get enough of you."

"Same with me," Rinoa whispered back, her entire body aflame and aching for him to join with her.

"Good," Squall murmured as he prepared himself, then entered her in a long stroke, thrilling as much to the long moan that drew from her as from the sensation of being inside of her. "I'd hate for this to be a one-sided thing…" He added as he started to move, watching her. Watching as her eyes hazed with pleasure before drifting shut, and deriving nearly as much satisfaction from watching her enjoy their lovemaking as he was from the act itself.

_No chance of that,_ Rinoa thought but couldn't say, because he'd already driven her beyond the power of speech. And, though she didn't dare say it…. not yet, not _this_ soon… He'd also seized hold of her heart. Selphie's revelation had pushed Rinoa that final step and she'd tumbled headfirst into love with him.

It was stupid, and impossible, but she couldn't deny what her heart was telling her. She would ask him about that first abortive attempt of hers to have sex with him…she suspected he'd refunded Selphie's card that night. It only made sense. He'd refused the hire after all, so…refund the money. And it was that act of integrity that impressed her all over again. He didn't HAVE to do that. After all, he was still her concierge, and still had _those_ duties to perform outside of the bedroom. Besides, they'd had sex anyway, the next night, though he _was_ rather reluctant initially…. but it wasn't about his hire that time. She knew that now.

So she threaded her fingers through the hair at the back of his neck, wrapping herself around him and holding him close. Loving the warmth of his body covering hers, invading it. Loving the feel of his lips softly kissing and nibbling at her neck, his mouth sealing itself over hers and stealing her breath. Loving the shift and flex of his muscles as he moved, moving with him and meeting him thrust for thrust, breath for breath. Bringing her along with him as he drove them both relentlessly toward ecstasy.

And Squall didn't hold anything back. He couldn't. He was as lost in her as she was in him. The intensity of what he felt both physically and emotionally threatened to overwhelm him. He had neither the will nor the ability to fight it either. It didn't matter anyway; he'd come to Deling, to _Rinoa_ , with a willingness to accept what resulted.

Even if it meant losing his heart to her completely.

Rinoa's nails biting into his skin, her throaty moans and gasps, urged Squall to quicken his pace, the building tension in her body echoing his. Her release came on a shuddering cry as she trembled and clutched at him, urging him to join her in her moment of bliss. It took little encouragement for him to do exactly that, moaning himself as pleasure washed over him. They lay together, hearts still pounding, wrapped in each other's arms and insensible to everything but that moment in time. A moment that both wished would last forever.

Such moments are always meant to be fleeting. The world would intrude once again and the moment would pass. But its memory would remain, as would the hunger to revisit that moment, again and again.

Squall smiled down at Rinoa and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips, saying softly, "You never cease to amaze me."

"How so? You're the one that's the expert in bed." Rinoa commented. Squall laughed as he moved off of her, prompting Rinoa to sigh as they separated.

Propping his head on his fist, he lay on his side facing her and said, "I can't claim to be an 'expert'. I'm more _experienced_ , but _expert_? I don't think so. Not when you can surprise me so thoroughly."

"How so?" She asked, rolling onto her side to face him as well. He reached out and touched her cheek, caressing it, then ran his thumb lightly over her lower lip, tickling her and sending a thrill up her spine.

"You have to ask?" he said softly. "For someone who was a virgin when we first met, you have some… _interesting_ …talents. Not that I'm _complaining_ at all, mind you."

"Oh. Well, _that_ was because…." Rinoa began, and stopped when Squall gently placed his fingers over her lips.

"I can guess. I don't need to know." Then Squall gave her a small grin, "But he has my thanks."

Rinoa laughed softly at this and drew in a breath, preparing to ask him about what Selphie had told her…but a scratch at her bedroom door, an audible sniff and a whine reminded her that she was overdue for Angelo's walk. She sighed, not wanting to get out of bed just yet, enjoying far too much the afterglow of their lovemaking, Squall's light, idle caresses, the way he continued to touch her as if compelled to… and perhaps reading far too much into the soft look in his eyes when she gazed into them.

He looked away, his attention drawn by Angelo's interruption, and said, "I'm guessing that's a hint."

"Yeah, she's basically saying, 'MOM! I need to go OOOUUUT!'" Rinoa explained, sighing again.

Squall leaned forward and gave her a gentle, lingering kiss, then said, "Then I guess we'd better get up." He suited words to action and got up and headed for the bathroom. Rinoa got up as well, and started getting dressed.

She smiled at him when he returned and began dressing as well, asking, "You coming with me?" She grabbed a pair of her jeans and pulled them on. Squall was likewise pulling on a pair of pants…the black jeans that he'd been wearing when she'd come in and basically jumped on him. Rinoa smiled to herself, wondering what he thought of the monster he'd created.

He pulled on a shirt before answering, "Well, no actually. I thought I'd do something about breakfast while you're taking care of your dog."

Rinoa smiled widely at him, charmed, and asked, "You cook?"

Shrugging, Squall sat down and pulled on a pair of socks, and answered, "Well, kind of. As long as you don't mind eggs that are slightly crispy."

"As long as they aren't _crunchy_ as well I can handle it. _Blackened_ however, might be a bit of a stretch. So, go easy on the eggshells and try not to burn them and we'll be okay." Rinoa said.

Squall laughed, "I'm not that bad."

"Well then, I'm looking forward to it." Rinoa sat down for a moment to put her shoes on. The she grabbed a t-shirt from her drawer and pulled it on, prompting Squall to laugh again when he got a look at it. It was a lovely royal blue color, all the better to set off the orange, tan and red graphic of a moomba's face turned to the side while holding its paw out in a challenging fashion.

" 'Talk to the Paw'? Are you seriously wearing a Marky Moomba shirt?" He chuckled.

"Selphie gave it to me for my birthday last year. And yeah, next to Cheeky Chocobo, Marky Moomba's her favorite animated character. I rather like it, it's a nice color, it's comfortable and it's cute." Rinoa explained.

"Given what little I know of your friend, this isn't a surprise. But I have to wonder, aren't you both a little old to be watching children's cartoons?" Squall asked, curiously.

Rinoa smiled and stood, coming up to him and silently admiring the way the black t-shirt he'd donned looked on him. It was neither so tight that it looked as though he was flaunting himself, nor so loose as to appear sloppy. No graphic on it at all, just plain black. Rinoa sighed. The man was singularly unimaginative in his wardrobe choices, but she couldn't argue too much about them when they looked that good. However, he looked just as good if not better with nothing on at all.

Smoothing her hands up his solid chest, Rinoa smiled, "Selphie and I both agreed to play with our inner children on a regular basis. Keeps us both sane and its fun." Then she tilted her head and asked him, "Didn't you ever watch cartoons when you were a kid?"

"I grew up in a military academy. Not much opportunity to do that when you're up at the first hint of dawn for weapons work and physical training." Squall explained.

"At _eight years old_ you were doing this?" Rinoa asked, incredulous. Squall nodded. "Well then, we have some serious catching up to do. And you need to apologize to your inner child for neglecting him for so long, Mr. Leonhart."

Squall gave her a puzzled look, confused at her statement. What was she talking about? Then his attention was directed away from his confusion when she reached up and kissed him gently.

"Adult fun is all well and good, and I certainly am not complaining about _that_. But just plain regular fun is good too. Hopefully, we'll manage that at the hockey game tonight." Rinoa said softly. Then she leaned in and gave him a hug, sighing when his arms tightened around her and he kissed the top of her head.

"I'm sure we will," he replied.

Rinoa smiled at him and turned away, heading toward the door. Squall followed her out into the main room where she got out the dog's lead and waste bags, along with a handful of treats and a couple of toys, putting the lot into a pocket of the coat she put on. Angelo's excited antics kept her busy for the next few moments as she clipped on the lead and put on her coat.

As she prepared to leave, she turned to Squall, saying, "I'll be back in a few minutes."

"I'll be here," he replied, spreading his hands out.

Rinoa smiled, approached him and kissed him again, sighing when they parted and still buzzing from its effects. Oh, she _definitely_ had it bad for him, no doubt about it. Perhaps it was best that he wasn't going with her. It would give her a chance to sort out what exactly it was she was feeling, whether it was simply lust, and a craving for his body and his skill as a lover, or if it _was_ in fact something more. Something that both scared and excited her.

Squall watched her leave, then went over to the counter and poured himself a cup of coffee at long last. He sighed, leaning against the counter, and took a sip. He already knew, or could guess, how it was that Rinoa had acquired one of her more unexpected skills, and didn't need or want a protracted discussion of her prior relationship. It was in the past and all that mattered was moving forward from there. He hoped that Rinoa was doing that, just as _he_ was endeavoring to move on from his _own_ past.

An audible growl from his midsection reminded him that he'd yet to eat and had volunteered to cook breakfast. Setting his coffee aside, he began poking about in the kitchen again, locating the eggs, frying pan and required utensils. Then he set to work. He couldn't claim to be all that great a cook, but he'd lived alone for far longer than he'd lived in a resort hotel, and had managed not to starve during that time. Even when he'd still lived in Balamb Garden as its commander, his hours were such that he didn't always make it to the cafeteria to eat.

So, while his skills may not be on a par with the world-class chef the resort boasted, Squall figured he could at _least_ put together an edible breakfast. A rather meager offering in return for what Rinoa had already given him, but it was a start.

* * *

"You're really into this, aren't you?" Squall asked in amusement as he watched Rinoa prepare to leave for the Bears game. He'd expected maybe the hat and the jersey. It was kind of a given when your favorite sports team was vying for a championship title. Or rather, vying for a chance to _win_ the championship title against whatever opponent survived the playoff gauntlet.

But Rinoa had gone over the top and included not only the hat and the jersey, but a large, blue, foam finger, a white towel (which puzzled Squall, prompting him to make a mental note to ask her about it later), a bobblehead of one of the star players, a game program and a stuffed teddy bear that was wearing the team's jersey as well. Obviously, a plush representation of the team's mascot.

Squall, for his part, had put on the blue sweater he'd purchased the previous day, his scarf and his coat. When Rinoa had sighed about his lack of team spirit, he pointed out that his sweater was very nearly the same shade of blue as her jersey, so it counted.

"Hey, it's the playoffs! You know how long it's been since the Bears were even close?" Rinoa asked as she picked up her purse, juggled her other items for a bit before Squall wordlessly took them from her, earning him a brilliant smile, then led the way out of her apartment to her car.

"No, actually I don't." Squall said, adding, "I haven't followed the bears much lately. Not since I moved to Esthar. They only show games from the Esthar City Imps there."

Rinoa started laughing as she unlocked her car, saying, "You know, I never got over the name they tacked on their team. The Imps? Really? How do you take something like that seriously? Especially when their mascot looks like a shaved monkey with bat wings. _Ugly_ , yes. Intimidating? Not even close." As they got into her car, she added, "Just toss that stuff into the back seat."

Squall did as instructed as Rinoa started her car, chuckling at her vehemence. "I take it you're not a fan."

"Only team I think is worse is the Trabia Snowlions." Rinoa stated contemptuously as she reversed out of her parking space and started driving toward their destination.

"And I'm guessing this is _not_ because they won the Gold Cup three years running," Squall said with a droll expression.

"Did you _see_ last year's championship game? If you didn't I have the tapes. Dirtiest game I've ever seen, and the referees called _nothing_! Not even a trip to the penalty box for high-sticking! They had to take Timber's winger out of the game after that!" Rinoa exclaimed, prompting Squall to laugh again.

Switching gears, both literally and figuratively, Rinoa asked him, "hey, what do you think of the teddy bear? Cute, eh?"

Squall blinked, surprised by abrupt change of subject, and answered, "I guess. I'm not one to collect things like that, though. I suppose a kid might like it, or maybe my sister, Elle. Why do you ask?"

Rinoa didn't answer immediately, instead concentrating upon maneuvering her car into a parking space at the arena.

"Don't forget all my gear," Rinoa reminded him as they got out. Squall obligingly retrieved all the items he'd tossed back there and followed her into the arena itself.

Glancing over to him as they walked, she answered his earlier question, "no reason in particular. I was just curious about your opinion." Squall nodded as they continued through the large doors and into the lobby of the arena.

In spite of himself, Squall was getting a little excited. He'd always wanted to go to a hockey game, and Deling City's new arena was considered one of the best venues for it. He supposed Esthar's would have to be counted as _the_ best, though he'd never actually been there and had only seen photos of it. While not as avid a fan as Rinoa appeared to be, he would occasionally catch a game on TV if he wasn't too busy and it appeared to be a good one. Though he had to agree with Rinoa on Esthar's team; their mascot did them no favors and the team overall was mediocre at best.

There were a number of reasons why he'd never taken time out like this to go to a sporting event, chief among them was lack of time. He'd always either been on assignment, mired in paperwork or just too damned tired after all was said and done to want to deal with the noise and crowds of a big game event like this.

So he followed Rinoa's lead and gazed around the echoing edifice with interest as she led him through the milling crowds to the ticket windows. Before he could say anything about paying for his ticket however, she made a beeline for the Will Call window.

"I've got the tickets already waiting for me here." Rinoa explained as she turned to the clerk at the window and said, "Hi! I'm Rinoa Heartilly and I've got two tickets waiting for me."

"I.D. please?" the clerk asked. Rinoa produced her driver's license and took the tickets that were handed to her. She put her ID away and handed Squall his ticket, slinging her purse back over her shoulder and finally looking back at him.

She smiled brilliantly at the image that he presented in that moment, doing her best to stifle back a laugh. Undeniably handsome as all get out, he also looked just plain adorable with all stuff he was toting for her. The teddy bear in particular, tucked securely in the crook of his elbow, made her think of how he might look if he was a father who'd brought one of his children to the game with him. It occurred to her that she didn't even know if he liked or wanted kids, but that didn't matter right at the moment. The image alone and the possibilities that it implied were more than enough to melt her heart and make her want to freeze the image forever.

So thinking, she immediately took out her cellphone and engaged the camera, snapping a photo of him while his attention was briefly caught by something off to the side. He saw her movement out of the corner of his eye and snapped his head around to catch her just as she was lowering the camera.

"You just took a picture of me, didn't you?" he asked her, frowning. He'd never liked having his photo taken, not even for his SeeD ID. He had a number of very valid reasons for it, one of which had very much to do with his former occupation as a SeeD. Anonymity was something SeeDs cultivated and guarded jealously. It made covert operations much easier if one wasn't _too_ recognizable. Squall shook his head and sternly told himself to get over it; his concern no longer applied.

"Yeah. You look too cute holding all that stuff. I just had to." Rinoa answered, completely missing his frown. "Come on," she added. "Let's get inside before the game starts."

"Lead the way," Squall said, following her to the turnstiles.

"Elevators are to the left," they were advised by the man that took their tickets and gave them the stubs back.

Squall glanced down at the ticket as they approached the banks of elevators, asking her, "Box seats, huh? How'd you come by these?"

"Through my work," Rinoa answered while pressing the button indicating _up_ on the elevator they selected.

Squall was about to ask her about that, suddenly realizing that he had no idea what she did for a living. He didn't think she'd said much about it at the resort either. And later? _Too focused on…other things…. to ask her about mundane stuff like work._ He thought with a mental snort.

Before he could however, Rinoa asked him, "So did you see all the displays and things as you came in?"

"You mean all the banners and pennants?" Squall asked as the elevator arrived, pinged, and the doors opened.

Stepping in, Rinoa answered, suddenly animated, "Yes! What did you think of all that?" Squall followed her in and leaned against the back of the car, considering her question.

" I dunno, seemed pretty much par for the course on a playoff game. The teddy bear giveaway thing was a good idea though; especially if they wanted to get more families bringing their kids." He finally answered, then, indicating the stuffed bear, added, "Makes me wonder though, do they give these away often?"

"No, this was the first promotional rollout of Galli-Bear's new design." Rinoa answered.

"How'd you get hold of this one then?" Squall asked her, curious in spite of himself.

"Oh, he was a prototype for the bears we're giving away today. I'm in charge of promotions for the Bears so I needed a prop to take to the ownership for their approval before we could roll it out for tonight's game." Rinoa explained, adding, "We're giving away a bear to the first twelve hundred people with a child under ten with them tonight."

"So you _are_ trying to bring in more families. Doesn't hockey seem rather a violent sport for children to be watching?" Squall wondered.

"Not any more violent than their Saturday morning cartoons," Rinoa said with a shrug. "And definitely _not_ as violent as basketball or football."

"I guess you have a point, at least about the basketball and football. I wouldn't know about the Saturday morning cartoons." Squall commented.

"So, we need to watch some. I just happen to have all of Marky Moomba's greatest hits on DVD at home. If you're interested, we can watch them after the game." Rinoa said.

Squall shrugged noncommittally, saying, "sure." His mind however, was on _other_ things…things that he would be very much _more_ interested in doing with her, particularly if the cartoons proved boring.

"Great!" Rinoa grinned at him.

The elevator pinged their arrival moments later, then opened directly into the box they had tickets for. Squall simply stared, momentarily stunned. Okay, box seats at a sports venue were premium seats anyway, but this was obviously a private box. A _luxury_ , private box. Complete with a full bar and catered gourmet meals if so desired. While no stranger to high-class accommodations, Squall had never, for various reasons, been able to do _this_.

"Okay. I'm impressed." Squall admitted.

Rinoa's grin brightened, and she said, "Just put all that stuff over there." she indicated an overstuffed chair that was part of a grouping that looked more like it belonged in someone's living room.

Squall crossed the plush carpeting, gazing around the box, as he made his way to the chair Rinoa had indicated to deposit all of the things he'd carried up for her. Glancing at the bar, he wondered what kind of beers they had on tap and if it would be worth it to avail himself of one.

Turning back to Rinoa, he couldn't help but smile back briefly at the brilliant smile she was giving him, asking her, "So, you _work_ for the Galbadian Bears hockey team?"

"Well, I work for the owner, but yes, basically I do." She answered, lacing her fingers tightly together and suddenly feeling anxious about what he thought of it.

"You know, I don't think I ever asked what you did for a living, and I don't remember you mentioning it," Squall commented, coming up to her and taking her hands. He frowned slightly as he noticed her literally unclenching them to wind her fingers around his and he started rubbing at them gently to get them to relax.

"No, I…. that wasn't on my mind when I was in Esthar," Rinoa said, suddenly breathless.

Squall laughed softly, "No, I don't suppose it would be, not if you were there to forget about things for awhile."

"And you don't generally ask your clients what they do for a living anyway, right?" Rinoa asked him. Squall nodded.

"I _didn't_. And they usually didn't care to discuss it. Who they were and what they did was their own business, and none of mine. They were there for a different purpose, one that had nothing to do with their lives outside the resort." Squall said, subtly reminding her that his previous occupation was _past tense_.

"Well, I guess, that being the case, it's not too surprising that you wouldn't think to ask about it now." Rinoa responded. Then, biting her lip, she asked, "So um…what do you think? About…about all this… my job… I mean, it _is_ kind of weird I guess for a girl to be doing this job…"

Raising an eyebrow, Squall said, "not really, not if you enjoy it. And you seem pretty good at it as well."

Smiling brilliantly at him, Rinoa sighed in relief and squeezed his hands, "thanks! I was so worried that you'd think all this was stupid or something." An echoing announcement over the PA caught their attention and they both looked out toward the rink and the large screen that hung above it.

"The game's getting ready to start," Rinoa said, turning back to him. "Do you want a beer or something? I mean, it's just us here tonight but I can have someone bring up some snacks or something."

"I was considering asking about the beer. What's on tap here?" Squall asked her.

Rinoa named several popular local Galbadian brews, which prompted Squall to sigh and ask her, "anything else? I'm not overly fond of those."

Rinoa squeezed his hands again, and then let go, laughing softly, "picky. Well, that's all that's on tap, but there are several imported brands in bottles. I vaguely remember seeing a bottle of your brand here."

Turning away, she headed toward the bar and ducked behind it. Sounds of her opening what was likely a refrigerator, and clinks and pings as she poked around at its contents, followed.

"Well, how very observant of you, Miss Heartilly." Squall said, following her. He very nearly jumped when she popped up unexpectedly from behind the bar, holding a bottle of beer.

"Here it is! Highland Ale. Right?" She asked, looking around for a bottle opener.

Squall pulled his multi-tool from his pocket and held it up with a smirk, prompting Rinoa to laugh and hand him the bottle, which he then opened.

"Right," Squall said in satisfaction, taking a long sip and sighing.

"May I?" Rinoa asked, holding her hand out for the tool. Squall handed it over and she opened a bottle of her own, _this_ one of cola. Squall gave her a puzzled look and she explained, "I drove here, remember?"

"Right. Hadn't thought of that." Squall replied. He opened his mouth to say more, but Rinoa interrupted him when music started playing.

"They're playing the national anthem! The game's starting!" She hurried over to him and directed his attention to the rink and the solemn spectacle taking place. The Galbadian flag was raised, the music swelled and the entire arena stood until the anthem was finished.

When the formalities were concluded and the players took the ice, Rinoa clapped her hands enthusiastically, announcing, "All right! Let's drop the puck and _get it on_!" With that, she turned toward the grouped furniture, plopping down on the couch and setting her drink on the coffee table in front of it.

Squall, chuckling at her enthusiasm, followed her and sat down next to her on the couch, taking another swig of his beer.

Rinoa immediately cuddled close and kissed him on the cheek, saying, "Ok, two rules here. One: you _have_ to cheer for the Bears."

Squall looked over at Rinoa, eyebrows raised, and replied, "Well, they're playing the Woodcocks, so yeah, okay. I'll cheer for the Bears. Rule number two?"

"Have fun!" Rinoa answered emphatically.

A slow grin spread across Squall's face and he tipped his bottle up one more time, draining it and setting the bottle on the table. "Let's get it on." He said.

Rinoa squealed happily and planted a big kiss on his lips just as the official dropped the puck and the game began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry...AGAIN... for taking so long with this, but life gets busy as I'm sure you all know. SO... hockey. Of all things...and that's one of the few sports that I know NOTHING at all about, though it is kind of fun to watch sometimes. SO any mistakes I make regarding the game or anything like that, just keep that in mind. I had fun coming up with the team names, Ashbear and I brainstormed about it...well... MONTHS ago, I guess... and we had so much fun doing that. The next chapter will continue on from here and well... you'll just have to wait for the rest.


	13. Chapter 13

"Aw c'mon! That was a blatant foul! Call it you frickin cross-eyed douche canoe! A wendigo with brain damage has more smarts than you do! Idiot! Fecking dillwad! Where do they _get_ these morons? Did you _see_ that?" Squall blinked in surprise at the invective that Rinoa let fly with when the Bears' right winger was checked, _hard_ , against the barrier and went down. Then it was a confusing melee of flying gloves and sticks as the other players joined in and the game play was interrupted by an actual brawl.

But that was beside the point. Rinoa's creative and inventive use of language was what really fascinated him. Throughout the game, if something occurred that she didn't like or she felt the referees should have paid attention to, she'd spout off something that wasn't _quite_ profanity, but if one listened to what she was saying, came pretty darn close. But she never used even _one_ actual swear word.

It was really quite amazing. Squall wondered if he should start taking notes.

"Come on Aylward! Don't let those micro dorks snow you! Watch the puck! Watch it! Wa- YES! Great save!" Rinoa cheered as the Bears goalie caught a slapshot to the net, saving a goal. She raised her hand to give Squall a high-five, catching him off guard. He hesitated a brief moment then raised his in kind, catching her hand as it slapped against his.

"You're awfully quiet," Rinoa commented, biting her lip and wondering if her unladylike enthusiasm had put him off. "Are you having fun? You're bored, aren't you?"

Squall smiled at her and pulled her hand to his lips, kissing it, and answered, "I'm having a great time. You're almost more fun to watch than the game is."

"Really?" she asked, brilliant smile lighting up her features.

"Yes. Really." Squall answered. Then he added with a smirk, "I'm seriously considering recommending you to an instructor position at Garden."

"You can still do that? I thought you'd quit." Rinoa asked, frowning slightly.

"I still have some pull with the old man in charge," Squall answered.

"What would you recommend I do then? I mean, I do promotions here and I suppose the Garden academies could benefit from that expertise as well…" Rinoa mused.

Squall couldn't help the grin that spread over his features as he answered, "I'm thinking you could create your own curriculum on a new class that centers around your _true_ talent. Language 101: Creative Profanity."

"Creative Pro- You goof!" Rinoa exclaimed, slapping his shoulder. "I thought you were serious! That's it! See if I tell you any of my secrets!" Squall laughed at her response, and Rinoa started laughing as well. Then she caught something out of the corner of her eye and turned to look at the jumbotron screen. The camera was focused directly onto the box there they were sitting and she could just make out herself and Squall in the image, despite the interference from the glass.

"Oh! It's the kiss cam!" Rinoa exclaimed, turning back to Squall.

"The kiss what?" He asked, confused.

"You don't know what the kiss cam is?" Rinoa asked incredulously. Squall shook his head.

"Well, there's no time to explain," she said. Then she grabbed his face in both hands and pulled him to her for a kiss.

Squall froze in surprise, then slipped his arms around her and pulled her close, deepening the kiss. She wound her arms around his neck and speared her fingers though his hair, and everything fell away for the both of them. Nothing but the feel and taste of her lips on his, the warmth of her body against his, registered with him.

A sudden roar from the crowd finally interrupted their interlude, though Squall was willing to miss whatever was happening with the game to continue kissing Rinoa. Rinoa on the other hand, was _not_.

"Mmmm," Rinoa said, pulling away with several quick kisses as though she was unwilling to stop. "I have to…. watch this…. to help Carrie…. with the… press releases…"

Squall let her go with a sigh and returned his attention to the game as well, leaving his arm draped casually across her shoulder. He was feeling nicely mellow thanks to the two beers he'd thus far consumed, and was enjoying the game, though not as loudly as Rinoa was. It was… _nice_ …to be able to share something like this with her.

It went without saying that none of his clients would have done this with him. Whatever they did, whether it was in the bedroom or out, was geared toward what the women wanted, and they rarely cared to go to sporting events. And going out on a regular date with a regular girl? Squall couldn't remember if he'd even done _that_ before. _Ever_.

In his not so distant past, Squall didn't actually _date_. Not really. Lack of time was the main reason, and later, when he'd made commander, concerns about propriety. One had to tread carefully when engaging in a relationship with a subordinate, doubly so if that relationship was purely sexual.

Opportunities _did_ happen, though not as often as one would think, and not nearly as often as he would have liked. Like any man, he enjoyed sex. It was just the lead up to that point that was a little bit difficult for him at times.

So it was beyond amazing that he was actually on a date with a beautiful young woman. One who had in fact _invited_ him to a hockey game, of all things. It was a rare woman that would actually go to a hockey game with him, and _enjoy_ it. Very rare.

One in a million rare.

"YES! Hat trick for Flash Wallic! Bears are up by two now! Whooo HOOO! Timber's in trouble now!" Rinoa crowed.

"They've still got a period left," Squall pointed out, still amused at her enthusiasm.

"Hey! Don't rain on my parade!" Rinoa protested, then urged, "Think positive! If they win this game they go on to the semi-finals; and if they win _that_ game it's the Gold Cup! First championship for the Bears in _ages_!"

"Wouldn't dream of it," Squall said, giving her a warm smile and squeezing her shoulder briefly in a half-hug.

They fell into a comfortable silence, absorbed in the game. Well, mostly anyway. Rinoa's attention may have been riveted to the game, but Squall's was divided between the action taking place on the ice and the woman sitting next to him. As always, her warmth seeped into him as she snuggled against his side, while the scent of her hair and skin enticed him. Then she turned and smiled at him, and he felt it reach straight through to his heart.

He wanted to kiss her again. And again….and he wanted to keep kissing her until they got back to her apartment, where they could continue from there. Squall swallowed and returned his attention back to the game, suddenly unsettled. He thought briefly of getting another beer and decided against it. Not at the moment anyway, he was feeling nicely relaxed, and didn't want to overdo it. Too much beer tended to make him sleepy and he didn't want to appear bored.

As the final period of the game commenced, the action on the ice intensified. The Woodcocks' center slipped a shot by the Bears' goalie, narrowing the margin to one point. On the next drop, the puck was immediately claimed by the Bears' center, who brought it around the net and passed it to the right wingman. A furious race toward Timber's net ensued, with Flash Wallic, the fastest winger in the league, well in the lead.

It looked like he had an easy shot into the net on this charge, but the goalie blocked it. With the puck free, a veritable scrum of players converged upon it, each battling the other for possession in a knot of flying sticks. The boards boomed as the battle got rough and players were slammed against them. Finally, the puck flew free and the players took off after it, with a Woodcocks player finally taking possession. Timber's players then arrowed toward the opposing goal in a wedge, passing the puck back and forth between them with the Bears' players in hot pursuit.

The Bears' goalie, Aylward, who'd advanced to the center of the rink, backskated toward the goal as the opposing players charged him, his eyes riveted on the puck. A lighting fast flick of Timber's left wing's stick and the puck flew toward the net in a barely seen blur. Aylward's keen eyes however caught it and he immediately blocked the puck and sent it to Wallic. Flash immediately justified his nickname as he took possession of the puck and eeled his way through the Woodcocks defenders toward their net.

The rest of the Bears formed up to back Wallic and escorted him to the net as he almost literally cut up the ice on his way to the goal. This time, the charge was relentless. The preceding gameplay had burned up a significant amount of time on the clock; now the minutes were slowly ticking down to seconds. But the course of an entire game could be determined in a single second…and that was exactly what happened.

Timber's goalie, in an unexpectedly aggressive move, skated out to meet Flash and stole the puck from him just as he was about to slap it into the net. He immediately passed it to a teammate who in turn sent it to their center. The player charged through the opposing defensemen, evading them nimbly as he worked at positioning himself, then nailing the puck and sending it whizzing toward the goal. The Bears' goal was largely undefended save for the goalie, which saw the shot coming and moved to block it but was a hair too late. The puck slipped into the net and tied the game with less than a minute remaining.

The arena erupted into a roar of noise that even Squall and Rinoa could hear, despite being sequestered in the private box. He appreciated the luxury of the surroundings, but despite his aversion to crowds, it seemed more genuine to be seated among the other spectators at such an event. But that was a fleeting thought as the game itself had captured his attention fully.

Rinoa of course was enjoying herself immensely…and loudly. "ARRRGH!" She exclaimed loudly at the tying goal, "C'mon Aylward! What happened, did somebody knock you cross-eyed? Jeez!"

"Looks like sudden death overtime." Squall observed.

"Carrie's going to have her work cut out for her after this," Rinoa observed.

Curious, Squall asked, "You mentioned helping her with press releases? What does she do?"

"Media relations. She basically wrangles reporters and players and makes sure everybody plays nice in the locker rooms while interviews are going on. And yeah, she does the official press releases for the team and players, if they want them." Rinoa answered.

The arena's PA echoed with the announcement of the sudden death overtime, and captured their attention once again as the players lined up for the final face off. Then the puck was dropped and the game resumed. This time, the play was intense and the puck went from one end of the arena to the other multiple times, with goals attempted on each side that were handily defended by the goalies.

Time ticked away with neither side scoring, when one of Timber's linesmen attempted a pass to a fellow teammate, which was deftly intercepted by a defending player on the Bears' side. A sly deke to the right, a pass to the left, and the linesman who caught the puck was skating down the ice toward Timber's net.

Another deft feint drew the goalie away from the net just enough for the Bears' lineman to fire a quick shot at the hole that had been left open, slipping the puck into the net and winning the game.

The arena erupted into a roar as the score was flashed on the scoreboard. The Bears were advancing into the next round of the playoffs and were now just one game away from a chance at the Gold Cup.

Rinoa had leaped to her feet, cheering wildly, and flashing a brilliant grin at Squall when she heard his exultant shout as the Bears player scored. Laughing, she flung herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. Squall hugged her back, his wide grin echoing hers.

"One more game! Just one more game and we're in the big show!" she crowed excitedly, kissing him on the cheek.

"Now all you need is the score from the other playoff games to see whom the Bears are facing," Squall said, calming from his momentary excess of emotion. His grin had faded but the smile left behind did not, nor did Squall's awareness of Rinoa's slender body pressed against his.

"Wow! That was a great game, wasn't it?" she asked him.

"Best I've ever seen," Squall said, still smiling down at her. He bent forward and pressed his lips against hers in a light, questioning kiss.

Rinoa answered the unspoken question by allowing her eyes to drift shut and leaning into his body, giving herself up to his kiss. As her lips softened and parted, Squall slipped his tongue delicately into her mouth, gradually deepening the kiss while pressing her even closer to him.

Rinoa's fingers speared into his hair, while one of Squall's hands was resting lightly against her cheek, caressing it while moving to the back of her neck, tangling his fingers into her hair. The sensation of his large hand caressing the nape of her neck and cradling the back of her head threatened to melt Rinoa into a puddle at his feet.

Unfortunately, her phone chose that moment to ring.

"Ungh…damn," she whispered, reluctantly pulling away from him to answer it. Squall smiled slightly, just as reluctant to release her.

"Rinoa here," she spoke into the device. "Yeah Carrie, it _was_ a great game, wasn't it?" the response to her question was indistinct, and she replied, "yeah. All we need now are the scores for the other playoff games. Then we'll know who the Bears are going to face in the final matchup."

Squall waited patiently while she continued her call, squeezing her hand gently and stepping away to allow her privacy…and to visit the lavatory.

When he returned, she'd concluded her call.

"That was Carrie," she said unnecessarily.

"Do you need to leave? You mentioned helping her with the press releases?" Squall asked, wondering if she had to go to work now that the game was over.

"No, she just needed to bounce a couple of ideas off of me. She's busy right now lining up post game interviews in the locker room anyway." Rinoa answered. Tilting her head up to him, she added with a smile, "wanna come home with me and help celebrate our glorious victory?"

Squall approached as though drawn by an invisible cable, invading her space to a thrilling degree. Suddenly breathless, she met his eyes and started to sink into their turquoise depths.

"I would love to," he murmured softly, bending down to kiss her again.

* * *

Hours later, Squall lay reclined on her couch and blinking sleepily at Rinoa's television screen. Rinoa was draped on top of him and fast asleep, her head pillowed on his chest. The night had grown brisk, and he'd drawn the afghan that had decorated the back of the couch over them both to ward off the chill.

It had started innocently enough. They'd returned to her place and true to her word, Rinoa had immediately queued up her Marky Moomba DVD. Then she had snuggled up to him and they had watched a few of the episodes.

Rinoa had laughed in unabashed, childlike delight at the clever moomba's antics along with those of his friends and adversaries. Squall had watched the cartoons and Rinoa's reactions to them, at first mystified by the whole thing. He did however, come to appreciate the moomba's clever, snarky approach to his challenges and the mischief that he got into.

It was all rather silly, though he did have to admit that some of the episodes they'd watched _had_ amused him. But Rinoa's warmth as she pressed against him, the scent of her hair, and the music of her laugh…. It had commanded more of his attention than the colorful antics of the cartoon moomba did.

So it wasn't such a surprise that he should decide to ignore the television altogether and gently place his lips over hers when she turned her face up to ask him if he was enjoying the show. A slight start, indicating mild surprise, was Rinoa's initial reaction. Then her fingers speared through his hair and she pressed forward, deepening the kiss and pushing him back onto the couch.

The end result was a foregone conclusion. Their clothes were mostly piled on the floor next to the couch, with Rinoa's bra somehow ending up draped over a lampshade.

Squall had never thought that the sounds of Marky Moomba's squeaky, fast talking voice would be anything close to erotic, but really, once he'd started kissing Rinoa, it didn't matter. Air horns could have been going off in his ears and he wouldn't have heard them.

They'd ended up making love on the couch until they were both too tired to move.

Squall yawned, shifting a bit. His body was giving him a pressing need to get up but Rinoa's warm weight was pressing him into the velvety chocolate suede of her couch. He didn't want to disturb her, but his comfortable contentment was being driven away by his mounting need to use the bathroom.

Shifting slowly, he slid out from underneath her so deftly that she did not wake.

Upon returning, he considered the situation analytically. The hour had grown late and Rinoa had told him that she needed to work in the morning. He could simply leave her to sleep where she was, but the couch, while comfortable, _was_ a little tight for two. Not that it had made any difference to them, as close as they'd been sleeping. Still, they would both sleep much more comfortably in her bed.

So thinking, he shut off the television, then knelt down next to the couch and pulled off the afghan, pausing to stroke his hand lightly down her back to her hip and buttocks. She shifted in response, but didn't open her eyes, appearing to still be asleep. Working his hands underneath her body, he gathered her close and stood carefully.

Her weight was negligible, and she curled into him, wrapping her arms around his neck in her sleep as he carried her to her bedroom and laid her gently on the bed.

He adjusted the bedding, tucking her in and tenderly caressing her cheek before turning off the light and climbing in with her, pressing close against her back and draping his arm over her waist to pull her closer still. Rinoa shifted and sighed, murmuring something unintelligible, and Squall kissed her lightly beneath her ear, tightening his arm around her. She relaxed and her breathing steadied, returning to the rhythm of deep sleep.

Sleep was slower in coming for him. Squall lay awake in the dark for a time, listening to her breathe and feeling the warmth of her body, pressed against him. It wasn't the same, he thought, as falling to sleep in the arms of a client. The drowsy torpor brought on by sexual satisfaction was biological in nature, and the comfort derived from sleeping with his partner was based on that and nothing more. They'd go to bed and have sex as strangers, sleep as strangers, wake and go their separate ways, back to their separate lives. They would disclose nothing of themselves to each other; touch nothing but each other's bodies.

This was different. It had been different from the first night she'd spent in his bed, alone. Whether he'd wanted her to or not, she'd touched more than his body, and he'd revealed himself to her, bit by bit. They were becoming inextricably intertwined, and he didn't know if that was a bad or a good thing, but it was too late to stop it, regardless. The only thing that he knew at that moment was that if his life consisted of nothing else but lying in bed with her in his arms, he would consider it heaven.

That thought should have frightened him. Instead, it awakened a longing so deep and poignant, that he ached with it. _That_ frightened him. It meant that regardless of what resulted from this liaison, he would never be the same. Henceforth and forever after, he would always be aware now of how empty he felt inside, and how well she filled that emptiness…

Sleep claimed him then, pulling him gently down into the warm darkness of vague, formless dreams. Dreams that were unseen, even to his mind's eye; dreams that were only _felt_.

Squall lay in the darkness with his arms around Rinoa, and let himself _feel_.

* * *

The alarm should have awakened her. Instead, it was soft, warm lips trailing feathery kisses up the side of her neck, sending a shivery thrill down her spine.

Rinoa sighed, stretching and arching back against Squall's warm…and _awake_ … body, saying, "Good morning."

"It _can_ be, if you want it to be," Squall murmured seductively, pressing her back against him, making her gasp as his erection thrust against her.

Rinoa moaned softly, "Oh…I…. what time is it?" she couldn't think past what his hands were doing to her, one caressing a breast, while the other…. was making her ache.

"Just past six." He answered softly, giving her a gentle nip on the shoulder.

Rinoa considered that for a moment. She normally didn't get up until seven, started work at nine…making a decision, she reached into top drawer of her bedside table, fishing for and pulling out a condom and tossing it back at Squall. She heard it hit him and felt the bed shaking at his chuckle.

Then she turned to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him deeply, whispering, "I want it to be the best morning _ever_."

Kissing his way down her neck to her breasts, Squall murmured, "I'll do my best to accommodate you."

She was squirming in moments, heart pounding and blood surging, aching for him to join with her, flesh to flesh. Rinoa fisted her hands in his hair painfully, her body throbbing from his ministrations. She tugged upward and Squall raised his head, aquamarine eyes warm and glittering in the morning light as they locked with hers.

Swallowing and licking at her dry lips, she whispered, "Please…"

He smiled slowly in response. There was a slight pause as he prepared himself, then moved his body over hers. Rinoa couldn't hold back a long, low moan as he slowly, maddeningly, sheathed himself within her. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, aching to pull him in even deeper, not knowing if it was just that physical merging that she was aching for, or something…more.

Another gentle nip at the side of her neck, then a puff of warm breath as he whispered hotly, "God I love it when you do that." He started to move with long, slow strokes, watching Rinoa's responses closely.

"Do what?" Rinoa gasped, biting her lip and moaning again as his strokes became more forceful.

"The way you roll your eyes back in pleasure the moment I'm inside you," Squall whispered, pausing in his movements to adjust his position so that he could tangle his fingers in her hair and steal her breath with a deep kiss. "The way you wrap yourself around me. The way you give yourself to me completely, each and every time. The way your skin flushes and your breath catches every time I kiss you…"

Squall's breathless statements, punctuated by each stroke as he surged and retreated, threatened to completely undo Rinoa. She was very quickly reduced to simply moaning and panting, nails digging into his back and holding on for dear life as he saw, and _felt_ , Rinoa's hunger for more. Then neither of them could speak as the elemental passion between them took control. From gentle and slow, Squall became forceful and nearly rough. Rinoa's moans became cries as she dug her fingernails deep into his back, giving as good as she got as she raked him from shoulders to buttocks.

She surged to meet each thrust until they'd found a sort of rhythm, one that heightened the pleasure for them both; one that had them both clutching each other for dear life, shuddering in the wake of their shattering mutual release.

Squall had buried his head in the crook of her neck, his heavy breathing warming her sensitized skin. Rinoa burrowed her fingers through his sweat-dampened hair, caressing his scalp. They were pressed so close together that she could feel his heartbeat thudding against her chest; still feel that part of him that remained inside of her throbbing in time with his heart.

Rinoa's other hand rested upon his back between his shoulder blades. Slowly, dreamily, she stroked her hand down his back, slick with sweat, to his firm rear, caressing it gently. He made a muffled sound of pleasure and shifted, making Rinoa gasp, as his hardness had not yet abated to any degree. He raised his head then and gazed down at her, hands still tangled in her hair, thumbs idly caressing the skin of her face.

His expression was difficult to decipher but Rinoa saw that same softness in his eyes that always seemed to be there lately when she looked into them. Cold and piercing, flat and unreadable, or warm and tranquil, she always found his eyes fascinating to study. Not merely because they were beautiful, though they certainly were; that clear turquoise color alone was enough to get anyone's attention. Add to that their exotic, almost almond shape, and thick dark lashes that surrounded them; lashes so dark that at first glance, Rinoa had thought he was actually wearing eye makeup. Eyeliner at least, if not mascara as well. Upon closer inspection however, Rinoa quickly learned that the man had been inexplicably blessed with eyes no few women would kill for.

Gazing up at him now, with his face just inches from hers, Rinoa broadened her study from his eyes to the rest of his face, finding it equally attractive. Beautiful even. Smooth, blemish- free skin with a light golden tint given to it by Esthar's sun was modeled over high cheekbones, a long, straight blade of a nose, and a sharp, nearly pointed chin. The diagonal slash between his eyes was long healed, she saw, but still very visible as a pinkish-tan blemish a tone or so darker than the surrounding skin. She wondered how he'd gotten it. Then she wondered if he'd tell her if she asked.

Finally, she came to his lips. Soft, and well shaped, when they weren't pressed together in a thin line or twisted into a scowl; she decided that they were shaped perfectly for kissing. So thinking, she stretched forward and touched her lips lightly against his.

He willingly and ardently reciprocated, and while Rinoa was sorely tempted to simply remain in bed with him and let work go hang, she really couldn't. She loved her job and didn't want to lose it, even though the thought of leaving her houseguest alone to his own devices made her want to sigh.

Sigh she did, when he pulled back, which prompted him to give her a puzzled look. It really was quite amazing how expressive his eyes could be when he wanted.

"I wish I could stay here all day with you," she said, toying with the hair at the back of his neck.

Squall's expression cleared and his lips softened into an almost smile as he replied, "So do I. I'm sorry for dropping in on such short notice."

"Apology accepted, though I'm not about to complain about the fact that you're here now." Rinoa smiled up at him.

"What time do you need to go to work?" he asked her.

"Nine." She answered, then she yawned and shifted. Squall obligingly moved off of her then, kissing her lightly as he got out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

Upon returning he delved into one of the drawers where he'd put his clothing, pulling out the black pajama pants that Rinoa remembered from their first meeting.

While putting them on he said, "Why don't you go get your shower and I'll make coffee. Anything in particular you want for breakfast?"

Smiling at him, she answered, "The eggs you did for me yesterday were fine. If you feel up to doing that again, I won't complain." Then her smile broadened as she added, "you don't need to get dressed on _my_ account,"

"I'm not," he answered dryly. "I just don't want to be surprised again in case another one of your friends with a key drops by unannounced."

"Only Selphie had a key…" Rinoa began, then blanched as she remembered that _one_ other person had a key to her apartment. Had in fact insisted upon it in no uncertain terms.

Seeing her face go pale, Squall frowned, "What's wrong?"

"I just remembered that there's another person that has a key to my apartment, and unfortunately, I can't get it back."

"Who is it?" Squall asked, trying to ignore the sense of dread that began gathering like a lead weight in his stomach.

Biting her lip, Rinoa answered in a small voice, "My father."

_Shit._ The General. Squall had met the man before briefly. It had been cordial enough; a business meeting to discuss particulars of the hire the General was offering, and to negotiate the price. Squall had been in command of the SeeDs then so it was up to him to close the deal and assign the SeeDs to carry out the mission the General had in mind. As he recalled, the mission had been successful and General Caraway satisfied by the results.

But that had been years ago. Even so, despite the brevity of their contact, Squall rather doubted that the General would actually _forget_ him. General Caraway had a keenness about him that led Squall to believe that the man never forgot anyone he'd had dealings with. Given the political climate in Galbadia, it was likely the only way to keep track of who might be an ally and who might be a potential enemy.

And while they had given each other due respect while working together, Squall rather doubted that the man would be at all happy to learn that Squall was ….. Hell, he didn't even know the right word for what he was doing with Rinoa right at the moment. Besides having sex that was.

It was more than that and Squall knew it, but it was still too soon to say that they were actually _dating_. They'd spent more time in bed having sex than out of it doing anything else, and while they _had_ gone on a couple of dates, what they had at this point could hardly be considered an actual relationship. Not yet, at any rate. Given time perhaps, maybe something lasting would develop.

Still, the fact remained that he was fucking General Caraway's daughter and he rather doubted the man would approve of it.

"Squall?" Rinoa's worried question jogged him out of his momentary distraction, and he focused his attention on her.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"I'm fine. I guess I forgot who your father is." He answered.

"I wouldn't worry too much about him. He never just _drops by_. In fact, I don't think he's ever actually seen my apartment since I moved in. He just wanted a key for emergency reasons." She reassured him.

"Well, that's understandable I guess." Squall said, adding as he turned away, "I'll go make the coffee. You may want to shower now if you don't want to be late for work."

"Are you going to be here when I get home?" Rinoa asked, suddenly worried. Her parentage had scared off more than one young man in the past…

Frowning, Squall answered, "Yes, of course. Where else would I be?"

"Well, it's just that… Well… my father…" she couldn't continue.

"He's not here, is he? And you're an adult, so your affairs should be only yours until and unless you want to inform your father. If I were still a SeeD I might think differently, mainly from a business standpoint, but I'm not. And even if I were, I wouldn't let it deter me." Advancing toward the bed, eyes intense, Squall leaned over her where she still lay and braced his hands on either side of her.

Brushing his lips against hers, he murmured softly, "I'm not afraid of him, if that's what you're worried about. The only person whose opinion of me matters is you." He gave her a gentle, lingering kiss, then straightened up and left her staring after him, blood racing.

* * *

"I've left the spare key on the hook next to the leash. So you don't have to be cooped up here all day if you don't want to be. I'll be home around six or so, and we can do whatever you want for dinner and…and after. I hope you aren't going to be bored, I mean, I feel kind of rude taking off and just leaving you but I couldn't arrange time off on such short notice and…" Rinoa knew she was babbling and was mentally kicking herself in an effort to stop. Squall simply waited, watching her with a slight smile, until her voice stumbled to a halt.

"I'll be fine," he reassured her. "I'll go for a run, maybe walk your dog for a bit. I've got my laptop here so I can play around with the markets. Don't worry, I won't be bored."

"You're sure?" Rinoa asked, biting her lip uncertainly.

"Yes. Go ahead and go to work before you're late." Squall admonished her, coming up to her and sliding his arms around her waist to give her a brief hug and a kiss. He kept the contact brief, not wanting to start anything that couldn't be finished.

It left Rinoa's heart pounding anyway.

Swallowing hard, she turned toward the door and said, "I'll be back later then."

"I'll be waiting." Squall smiled at her, then added, "by the way, you look beautiful."

Rinoa's heart turned over at his simple statement. She hadn't dressed any differently than she normally did for work. Today's outfit was a simple, tailored navy blue suit with a white silk shirt, similarly navy blue colored stockings and a pair of relatively low-heeled black pumps. Her makeup was minimal; really just moisturizer, a bit of gloss and mascara, and her hair had been left down and brushed until it gleamed. A simple silver chain she'd inherited from her mother containing her mother's wedding band was the only jewelry that she wore aside from her watch and a pair of silver stud earrings.

She'd never thought of herself as beautiful. In her father's eyes, she'd been mostly invisible.

Rinoa felt her cheeks heating up and she smiled back, saying, "thank you." Then she left.


	14. Chapter 14

It had been surprisingly difficult to fill the hours left to him while Rinoa had been away at work. He'd gone for a run of course; enjoying the cool weather and the peaceful, serene neighborhood Rinoa lived in. Then he'd taken Angelo out for a walk, recalling the dog park that Rinoa liked to take her to, and played with the animal for a while. He'd always liked dogs but had never, for various reasons, been able to get one of his own.

So he tossed her favorite squeaky toy around for her, grinning down at her happily lolling doggy smile, quite oblivious to the attention he was attracting.

It was late morning, getting on toward lunch. He'd showered after his run, and in deference to the cooler weather was obliged to wear one of his new sweaters, his scarf and his peacoat. He'd chosen the gray one, mainly for its texture. Soft, silky smooth and warm, it felt nice to the touch, and nice to wear, even over the knit shirt he had on beneath it.

It was more than adequate to deal with the chill breeze that tempered the bright sunlight and played through his hair. Focused as he was upon playing with Angelo and enjoying her antics, Squall was completely unaware of what a strikingly handsome figure he cut while doing so. The sun glittered in the gold and copper strands that hid in his brown hair, the chill lent an attractive flush to his lightly tanned skin, and his lean, panther-like grace was displayed each time he moved.

Just about every female and even a few _males_ that were also there with their pets, sighed at the sight.

Angelo returned from the other end of the park after an especially long toss of her toy by Squall, dropping it at his feet with an imperious bark.

"My, aren't we demanding?" Squall commented with a slight smile, bending down to pick up the toy. The dog bowed, butt wiggling madly, and barked sharply again.

"Is that Angelo?" A girl's voice asked.

Squall turned around to meet the curious gaze of a young blond woman. She was pretty, petite and green-eyed, with lush curves in all the right places, and seemed to find a great deal of interest in studying his person. He was used to being eyed like a prime stud on display…. in Esthar, in the context of his former occupation. In its current context however, it was more than a little disconcerting. Particularly as that was _not_ how he was presenting himself.

"Yes." Squall answered her warily.

"Where's Rinoa? Are you dog-sitting for her?" the girl asked, avidly and obviously intrigued. She took a step closer to him and Squall narrowed his eyes, watching her covertly.

"Are you a friend of hers?" He countered with a question of his own. He didn't know why but the girl's manner and attitude put him on his guard almost immediately. He sincerely hoped that she was merely an acquaintance rather than a close friend. She obviously knew Rinoa, or at least knew her dog.

"Yeah, we hang out sometimes." She answered with a shrug. "I'm Kaylee by the way." She put a hand out to shake his, but Squall held up the doggie toy, which was liberally lubricated with canine drool, and the girl wrinkled her nose and smiled, putting her hand down.

Angelo barked again, then whined loudly, demanding his attention. Squall glanced down at the dog, silently thanking her for her interruption, and tossed her toy again. She shot after it like a rocket.

"So, where do you know Rinoa from? She usually has someone else dog-sit for her. Do you know when she'll be back?" Kaylee asked him, inching closer.

Squall shook his head silently, privately thinking that this girl couldn't possibly be a close friend of Rinoa's. Granted, he hadn't asked about or met any of her friends (aside from Selphie, that is), but in the list of those that she'd spoken of at length in Esthar, the name "Kaylee" had not come up. He studied her silently for a moment, wondering what it was about her that set his teeth on edge.

"Well, if you aren't busy later on, maybe we could get some coffee? I didn't catch your name…?" she prompted him, letting her voice trail off expectantly and giving him a brilliant, winsome smile.

"I didn't give it," he said coolly, giving her a look guaranteed to flash freeze her to powder.

Undaunted, the girl shrugged easily, "Some other time then. Ta-ta!" she sauntered off, hips swinging, assets clearly on display for his benefit. Several pairs of male eyes followed her.

Squall snorted quietly to himself, unimpressed. Too heavy handed and overconfident by half, and not even his type; he couldn't have been less interested if she'd been a mangy wendigo.

Angelo chose that moment to return, happily squeaking her toy as she mouthed it before dropping it at his feet. She snorted and sneezed, panting happily, and sat down at his command. He reached down and picked up the toy and clipped the leash back onto her collar.

Patting her head, Squall ordered tersely, "Come." She got up and followed him immediately, and they left the dog park, strolling back to Rinoa's apartment.

Squall's mind turned over the details of his encounter with Kaylee while he walked, coming to the conclusion that he'd disliked her on sight due to what he'd seen in her eyes, her expression, and her attitude. It was obvious that she was a gossip, and was fishing for any information about him and his relationship with Rinoa. It was also obvious that regardless of what that relationship was, she intended to make a play for him…already had, in fact. He'd seen and dealt with her type before, and knew the best way of thwarting her was to simply ignore her.

Easy enough to do; he'd gotten the icy reserve thing down to a science by now. He was rather mildly surprised that she'd managed to stroll away without visible signs of frostbite. He must be slipping.

It wasn't difficult to shake off the encounter however, as Squall fully intended not to spend another second dwelling on it. The day was beautiful if cooler than he was used to, the sun was bright and the weather clear. He was conscious of a rumbling in his midsection and checked his watch, noting that it was just a few minutes before noon.

So, lunch then. As he headed back to Rinoa's apartment, he considered and discarded several options for lunch, and wondered idly if Rinoa would like to take lunch with him tomorrow. He decided to bring that up to her when she got home from work. He didn't actually know where her office was located (though it wouldn't be too hard to find out) and didn't want to simply show up unannounced.

He finally stopped along the way and picked up a take-away lunch, then paused at a florist's shop, studying the brilliant bouquets that were displayed outside. He cynically acknowledged the shrewdness of the display, for it was artfully arranged and difficult to ignore. As a means of luring customers, it did precisely what it was meant to do.

He let his gaze travel idly over the wares, undecided as to whether he should simply move on or actually purchase a bouquet for Rinoa. He wondered if she would like it if he did, and then started thinking about what kinds of flowers she liked. He recalled how she'd liked the gardens at the resort, the rose garden in particular.

His mind drifted back to that day; how the warmth had brought out the color in her cheeks, how the perfume of the flowers had lured bees that had buzzed industriously around them, focused on their nectar gathering duties. Rinoa had stopped here and there as they perambulated to look closely at this bloom or that, bending occasionally, heedless of the bees, to breathe in the fragrance.

"May I help you sir?" a voice asked him.

Squall reluctantly pulled his mind away from that memory and focused on the individual who had addressed him. His first impression was that a garden gnome ran the florist's shop. Certainly, the wizened creature before him couldn't have stood more than four feet in height. Bright, inquisitive eyes, snowy white hair and full beard, and a squat form wearing a deep green gardening apron over a blue checked shirt completed the image. The only thing he lacked was a pointy red hat.

"Um…" Squall said, taken off guard by the man's appearance.

"Are you lookin' for some flowers? For a young lady perhaps?" The old man asked gruffly, then paused and added cautiously, "or perhaps a fella?"

Squall frowned and shook his head, "Lady." He answered. Then snorted inwardly. He hadn't completely decided on buying the flowers yet…. until just this second. Maybe the old geezer's assumption was the push he needed.

"What kind are you looking for? Do you know what she likes?" the man asked.

Remembering the garden in Esthar, Squall answered, "Roses. She likes roses."

"Lotta women do," the man acknowledged, then waved toward the interior of the shop, saying, "Come on in, let's see if we can find something she'll like."

Squall hesitated, glancing down at Angelo.

"Oh, don't worry about your dog, I don't mind if you bring it in." The man said, opening the door invitingly. "Keep the roses in the cooler so's they don't wilt as fast."

"Ah." Squall followed the man into the shop, looking around with interest as he did. It wasn't the first time he'd ever gotten flowers for a woman. He did it for his clients if he felt they'd appreciate it. Most of them did. Of course, he'd never actually gone _into_ the florist's shop at the resort himself. He usually simply called and had the flowers sent to the woman in question.

Actually walking _into_ such a shop, smelling the fragrant freshness of cut flowers and plants, seeing all the different varieties and combinations of foliage that could be arranged in floral displays, was quite a different matter. For some reason, he felt awkward and a little foolish about it, truth be told.

"Over here young man," the old man said, gesturing toward a large glass fronted cooler that held several shelves full of rose arrangements in a staggering array of colors and varieties.

Squall simply stared at them, momentarily overwhelmed. Then gave himself a mental shake. Why was he being so _stupid_ about this? They were just flowers for Hyne's sake, not a declaration of undying love. _Not yet…_ a traitorous little voice whispered in the back of his mind. _Shut up!_ He told the voice firmly. No way was he ready to think about _that_ yet.

But it was already too late, his mind had taken and run with it, wandering down the garden path in his memory, calling up the image of Rinoa sniffing the roses in Esthar and telling him which ones were her favorites.

It was the white ones, she'd said. But it turned out they weren't _purely_ white. Upon closer inspection, they'd discovered that the roses were in fact a pale blush pink on the inside, gradually fading out to white at the edges of each petal, like the rosy blush on Rinoa's alabaster cheeks.

It took a couple of passes, scanning the arrangements in the cooler, before Squall finally found it. It was beautiful, and the roses were perfect. He didn't want to go over the top with the whole dozen-red-roses-in-a-crystal-vase thing; that would send an entirely different message than the one he wanted to convey. Besides, the blush pink and white roses were the ones that Rinoa had already told him were her favorites.

"Those." Squall said, indicating the bouquet he wanted.

"Dozen or half?" the man asked him.

"Half," Squall answered.

"Would you like a vase with it?" the man asked as he opened the cooler and picked up the flowers, taking care to make sure the cellophane wrapper and the vials of water that each rose stem was thrust into was intact.

"No." Squall answered, following the man to the register.

Furious tapping upon the register ensued, with the proprietor of the shop finally stopping and informing him, "Okay, young man, that will be twenty gil."

Squall simply nodded and handed over the money, accepting the plastic-wrapped bundle of flowers in exchange. He frowned slightly down at them, starting to feel foolish again.

"Thank you," the man said. "I'm sure your young lady will love you for bringing them."

Squall looked up, startled, and felt his cheeks warming. It took him a moment to find his voice, and the only thing he could manage was a murmured, "thank you," before he fled the shop in mortification. The soft chuckle that followed him out as he left didn't help.

As he continued on to Rinoa's apartment he kicked himself mentally several times, annoyed with how silly he was being. It was just a bouquet of flowers, for crying out loud. It wasn't as if he'd never given flowers to a woman before…but this was somewhat more personal than what he'd done in the past. He'd chosen the flowers and paid for them himself…and _that_ he found, made a world's worth of difference.

Upon entering the apartment, he immediately went in search of a vase to put the flowers in, not wanting them to be completely wilted by the time Rinoa returned from work. He poked about the cupboards in growing frustration, growling to himself that perhaps he _should_ have bought the vase along with the flowers. He couldn't believe the girl wouldn't have at least _one_ vase for a bouquet of flowers. Hadn't she had a fiancée who'd presumably given her some on one occasion or another?

He finally gave up and settled on a water pitcher that appeared large enough for the flowers, and got to work trimming the stems and adding the powdered preservative to the water. Then he set them down in the middle of her dining room table, standing back and admiring the result.

Pleased with himself, he finally sat down to eat his cooling lunch.

* * *

The sound of a key rattling in the lock of Rinoa's front door, followed by a muffled exclamation as she discovered the door open caught Squall's attention. He blinked and checked his watch, startled to note that he'd actually burned several hours puttering about on his laptop. He'd accomplished quite a lot doing that as well, tracking his investments and fielding emails from Marti, Ellone, and Eric, among others.

Angelo, recognizing her mistress's approach, had hopped off the couch and gone to stare expectantly at the door, ears pricked, several minutes before Rinoa actually opened the door. Squall, seated comfortably on the couch, immediately saved what he was doing and shut his laptop, setting it aside to watch Rinoa interacting with her dog with interest.

"Hi Angie-dog!" Rinoa chirped, kneeling down to ruffle the dog's ears and plant a quick kiss on the cold, wet nose. She straightened up with a final pat and glanced around the apartment, her face lighting up when she saw Squall watching her from the couch, elbow resting upon the arm, with his chin propped on his fist. The slight smile he wore made her heart flip over.

Then her mouth went dry as he uncoiled from the couch and stretched, suddenly putting her in mind of a large cat just waking up from a nap. She simply stood still and watched him pad toward her, as silently graceful as a cat as well in his stocking feet. He looked so good in what he was wearing she simply _had_ to stare; the soft gray sweater and faded blue jeans made her fingers just itch to touch him.

"Oh dear Hyne, you are gorgeous," she murmured, not realizing she'd said it aloud until he chuckled softly, coming to a stop in front of her.

"You keep doing that," he said softly, gazing down at her. Seemingly of their own volition his fingers sought and found hers, tangling together, caressing and moving over each other.

"Doing what?" Rinoa asked, drifting into his turquoise blue eyes, and drowning in them again. She licked her dry lips, suddenly tingling in anticipation of being pressed against his.

"Stealing my lines." He answered with a slight quirk to his well-shaped lips.

"I didn't know there was a script," Rinoa said.

The half-smile he wore faded, and the warmth in his gaze sharpened to hunger, his expression changing to one of intent. Rinoa's eyes drifted shut as he leaned in close; the better to concentrate upon the warm, soft and succulent feel of his lips meeting hers. For a few eternal moments, her focus narrowed to the flavor of his kiss, the wet, silken slide of his tongue over hers, the pressure of his lips, the way they moved against hers.

Her mind drifted, content to simply stand there kissing him forever. Eventually they had to come up for air and Squall rested his forehead against hers for a moment, thumbs caressing her cheeks.

"How was work?" He finally asked her with a small smile at the domestic normality of the question.

"It was work." Rinoa answered, hands slipping around his waist. "I missed you."

"Me too," Squall answered, mildly surprised to acknowledge that in fact, he _had_ missed her. She'd only been gone for a few hours, yet her absence had been keenly felt. That was…strange. He dropped his hands from her face and pulled her close, hugging her, his heart pounding so heavily he felt sure it was battering Rinoa where her cheek rested against his chest.

"What do you want for dinner? Are you hungry yet?" Rinoa asked him, snuggling contentedly into his arms. She smiled to herself as she felt him heave a sigh and relax against her, resting his cheek against her hair.

"Not for food," Squall said, causing Rinoa's heart to start pounding as hard as his was.

That comment, spoken softly against her hair, sent a sudden thrilling shiver down her spine as it engendered vivid recollections of what they'd done so far to satisfy those _other_ hungers. She wanted to feel the silk over steel slide of warm skin over hard muscle, the slight roughness of his sparse body hair beneath her fingertips again. The spicy musk of his scent, a subtle combination of his cologne and _him_ , made her want to snuggle close and breathe him in. She wanted to hold him, touch him, and invite him in to become a part of her, wrap her arms around him and never let him go.

The craving became so strong that she slipped her hands beneath his sweater, letting them explore and caress the smooth skin of his back. She smiled slightly to herself as she heard his breath catch. She thought that her boldness would elicit a more ardent response beyond his pulling her closer, close enough that she couldn't help but notice his interest. But he held back for some reason and that sent a little spike of worry into her heart.

"How is it you're not bored with me yet?" she whispered. Surely he would be by now, right? They'd done everything possible in bed that two people could, at least as far as her rather limited imagination could supply. With his vast experience, he _should_ be getting bored by now, she'd have thought. Or, if not bored, at least _tired_.

Squall considered the question seriously. Sex had _never_ bored him, regardless of whom it was with, perhaps because he found something of interest with each new partner, even if the basic activity was the same. In Rinoa's case however, it was more than simple enjoyment of the act itself that he could have with _any_ woman, but also her response to it. It was, quite simply, _her_. Not just her body, but how she was awakening to her own sensuality, how every sensation, every touch, was new and exciting to her. Being her partner in crime, as it were, and watching her absorb this newness, made it new for him as well. And it excited him beyond all reason.

It was more than simply sex however; what drew him to her resided in a location well north of his groin.

Trying to _explain_ that to her though, proved more than a little difficult for him.

"I don't know," He answered softly. "It's just…you. Nothing about you, how you feel, how you respond, could ever be boring to me. I'm…. it's like an addiction, almost. I just…. can't seem to get enough…"

Rinoa swallowed, then licked her lips and raised her eyes to his, almost afraid for a moment, of what she'd see there.

"I…it's the same for me," she said softly. "Is…is that a bad thing?"

"Not for me it isn't. Scary, maybe. But... not bad." Squall answered, studying her expression.

"Scary?" Rinoa asked, puzzled. Squall didn't seem the sort to be afraid of _anything_.

"A little, yes." Squall answered, nodding.

"Why?" she asked him breathlessly, slowly coming to a realization of her own regarding _his_ feelings, quite aside from hers.

Squall hesitated, and then answered, "I've never felt like this before. Not with anyone."

That bald admission, flirting far too close to….whatever….for comfort, made him suddenly want to hide; pretend that he'd never said any such thing. But he had, and it was the truth. He couldn't take it back now even if he wanted to. And it left him feeling vulnerable, exposed, and naked. Frightened.

Scary as it was however, something stronger than that held him fast and wouldn't let him retreat or hide. Something deeper. Something…. real.

" _Never_?" Rinoa asked, wondering. Had he never had a girlfriend then?

"No," Squall shook his head.

A sudden wave of tenderness washed over Rinoa then, and she gave him a smile of such gentle sweetness that Squall blinked and swallowed. _It's all right,_ she thought. _I'll take care of you. Everything will be okay, I promise._

It was absurd, really, that she should think that about the very well grown, very strong young man that Squall was, but there had indeed been a flash of vulnerability that she'd seen that put her in mind of the lost, orphaned boy he had once been. It was one more layer to the increasingly complex personality that she was just becoming acquainted with; one more reason to love him.

She stretched up and placed her lips softly against his, letting her hands wander where they would. His response was immediate, crushing her against him while taking over the kiss and leaving little doubt in her mind how much he wanted her in that moment. She fought for breath in a soft moan as he delicately nibbled at her earlobe, then her neck, threading the fingers of one hand though her hair, while the other palmed her backside.

Her senses were swimming, her body beginning to ache and clamor for more. She wanted to feel and see more of him, so she worked her hands upward, trying to pull off his sweater. It was difficult, pressed so closely against him, but he realized her intention and gave her a bit of room so that she could get his sweater off.

Once he was bared to the waist, Rinoa dove in, kissing him at the base of his throat and smiling to herself as he moaned softly. Working her way downward, she explored his torso with her lips, fascinated by the differing flavors and textures they transmitted back to her, registering and reveling in the gasps and rumbling growls she drew from him as she did. She followed her lips with her fingertips, torturing him further.

She found herself pressed up against the dining room table, head thrown back and moaning as Squall once again kissed and nipped at the sensitive skin on her neck while unbuttoning her shirt and caressing her breasts. His lips trailed downward toward her cleavage, making her nipples harden and her breath come short.

He was whispering again, breath hot against her skin, whispering things that she'd heard him say before while in the throes of lovemaking, telling her what he liked, and what he wanted. She found that both fascinating and exciting, that he should be so…vocal about it.

"I've wanted to do this all day," he whispered, pulling her shirt out of the waistband of her skirt.

"This?" Rinoa asked stupidly, senses swimming as he opened her shirt the rest of the way and tormented her by skimming his lips over the tops of her breasts, then scraping the tender skin lightly with his teeth.

"Mmmm," He responded, adding, "the moment I saw you come out dressed in this prim little secretary's outfit, I wanted to have you up against the wall or on the table…Gods, anyplace. You have no idea how hot this makes me…"

"I do _now_ …" Rinoa murmured.

He laughed softly at that, and continued, sneaking his hand up under her skirt and breathing, "Oh, Hyne, you _are_ wearing suspenders aren't you?"

"I take it that's a major turn-on for you?" she asked, wondering at the quirk of fate that had led her to decide on stockings and suspenders instead of pantyhose that day.

"All of it is, but yeah, that's certainly one that does it for me," he said, lifting her onto the table and pushing her skirt up above her thighs. His fingers toyed briefly with the tops of the stockings and their fastenings, brushing lightly along the tops of her thighs before withdrawing for the moment, leaving her aching for more.

"So…" Rinoa began and swallowed, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back on a moan as he nipped at her neck again. "So su..suspenders are a fetish of yours?"

"No." He murmured, his attention focused on removing her bra and shirt. "I don't have any fetishes, remember? It's exciting, _you're_ exciting, and the idea is sexy as hell…but it's not a fetish."

"What…What's the difference?" she wondered, gasping as his lips closed over one of her nipples, biting her lip and arching her back while spearing her fingers through his hair.

"I don't need it to become aroused." He answered, raising his head and grinning wickedly at her. "All you need to wear is a smile."

"Oh," she answered faintly. Then he stole her breath again with another deep kiss before returning his attentions to her breasts.

He reduced her to inarticulate moans and gasps in short order, particularly when he finally undid her suspenders and removed her panties. She wasn't even thinking about the fact that they were currently in the middle of the dining room on the table. Or rather, she _was_ , and it just added to the excitement. Particularly when added to what he was doing to her with his lips and tongue underneath her skirt.

She lay back onto the table, lost in the sensations that pulsed through her body, shuddering as Squall relentlessly drove her to the peak and beyond. He gave her a moment to catch her breath, kissing her gently on her navel and prompting her to laugh softly and stroke her hands through his hair. He slowly worked his way upward, his light kisses tickling her sensitized skin.

Rinoa arched her back and writhed under him, aching from her breasts to her core, struggling to breathe. She wanted…she needed…. But the only thing she could do was moan and clutch at Squall's hair, pressing against him as he sucked and nibbled at her nipples.

Squall too was coming to the end of his endurance, and it was with a sigh of mingled relief and pleasure that he prepared himself and joined with her. He nearly lost it at Rinoa's moan as he entered her, and had to close his eyes for a moment and take a deep breath to regain his control. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he gripped one of her hips and thrust forward, prompting Rinoa to arch her back in response to meet him.

_Gods, this just keeps getting better and better. How is this possible?_ He wondered, quite beyond words at the moment. He opened his eyes and watched her, enjoying immensely the way she gasped and moaned with each thrust, her breasts bobbing and her head lolling, eyes closed. She'd never know, unless he told her, how exquisitely beautiful she looked as he made love with her; her pale skin showing a delicate flush and dewed with a light sheen of sweat, soft, pink lips slightly parted, raven hair tumbled across the surface of the table.

Rinoa's encouragement in the form of a light raking of her fingernails down his back, as well as his own aching need, prompted him to increase his pace. His blood surged, breath coming short, caught up in the throes of their passionate lovemaking. At some point during the proceedings, as Rinoa writhed and cried out in a wonderfully satisfactory fashion upon reaching her climax, Squall thought he heard something crash to the floor and break. It was rather forcibly dismissed from his mind in the next moment when his own orgasm washed over him with the force of a tsunami. He couldn't think of anything at _all_ then.

He came to himself with Rinoa's fingers combing through his sweat dampened hair, breathless, heart still racing as though he'd just run a marathon. He simply gazed down at her, and she gave him the same sweet smile that always seemed to stop his heart and make it flip over. He raised himself up onto his elbows so that he wasn't crushing her against the hard surface of the table, and leaned forward to taste her sweetness one more time, closing his eyes as his lips met hers.

"We always seem to end up like this," she commented with a smile, when he pulled back from her.

"Can't seem to help it," Squall replied softly. Then he frowned slightly, "If you'd rather I didn't…um….or if you're feeling…uncomfortable… tell me. It's okay to say no."

Rinoa's brows knitted in confusion for a moment until she finally caught what he was alluding to and reassured him, "Oh, no I'm fine. Not sore or anything, if that's what you're worried about."

Squall sighed, visibly relieved, "good…we'd been a little caught up in things and well, you're still kind of new at this… It just occurred to me that as active as we've been, you might be."

"I'm okay," she said, then smiled at him and added, "I can't seem to help myself either." Then she frowned and started looking around, finding it difficult to see anything from her current position on the table.

"Speaking of getting caught up in things, did you hear something actually break?" she asked, puzzled.

Squall paused, considering that, and had a sneaking suspicion that was quickly confirmed by the simple expedient of raising his head to check. Sure enough, the glass water pitcher, and the roses, was no longer on the table. By craning his neck a little, he could just see where they'd ended up in a puddle of water and shattered glass on the floor.

Sighing, he answered her, "Yes."

"What was it?" she asked, frowning and raising up onto an elbow, looking around as he withdrew from her.

"It was your glass water pitcher," he answered apologetically, heart sinking at her gasp.

"My crystal pitcher? Why was it on the table?" she asked, voice rising in pitch as she started to sit up and shift toward the edge of the table, preparing to jump off.

"It was crystal?" He asked, then shook his head at his idiocy. Of course it was. It was the reason he'd chosen it in the first place; it had looked lovely with the roses in it.

"Damn. It was. I'm sorry, I'll get you another one," Squall said, then reached forward and gripped Rinoa's shoulders gently to stop her from getting off of the table. Glancing down at her bare feet, he told her, "Don't. There's glass everywhere. Stay here and I'll deal with it, okay?"

When Rinoa nodded agreement, Squall leaned forward and kissed her gently and caressed her cheek before cautiously picking his way through the dining room. First to the bathroom, then to the living room to put his shoes on, and finally to the kitchen to get the dust pan and whisk broom, along with some paper towels.

Rinoa drew her feet back up onto the table and shifted herself over to the other side where Squall was busy cleaning up the glass and spilled water….and the roses that had apparently been in the vase. Six of them. Pale, blush pink and creamy white, and most of them still flawless, though one did appear to have sustained a little bit of bruising on the delicate petals, while another appeared slightly tattered, the petals cut by the glass.

Rinoa's heart melted.

"You got me roses?" she asked softly. "I didn't even see them. I'm sorry…"

Squall glanced up and gave her a wry grin, "it's okay. You were a little….distracted." He redirected his attention to the floor and carefully picked up the roses, frowning down at them. They appeared to be ok, though they did bear some evidence of their rough treatment, inadvertent though it had been. He considered pitching them and simply buying another bouquet tomorrow, but Rinoa stopped him as he turned toward the trash bin.

"Don't. They're still pretty enough, leave them."

"Do you have anything to put them in? I used the pitcher because I couldn't find anything else." Squall said.

"Um, yeah. The cupboard over the fridge." Rinoa directed him.

She felt a flush rise on her skin as he paused for a moment, a half-smile quirking his lips, and let his gaze travel up her body from her feet to her face. With her undone stockings starting to bag around her ankles and inching downward from her thighs, her skirt still rucked up to an indecent degree, her top completely bare and her hair in disarray, Rinoa wasn't sure what he was thinking of, but his expression told her that he liked what he saw. Undoubtedly because it was all his doing and the doing of it had been enjoyable indeed.

Then he turned away, lay the flowers aside, opened the cabinet above the refrigerator and took down a lovely cut crystal vase. It was fluted like a champagne glass, and the facets caught the light and made the whole thing glitter like a large diamond. Rinoa's throat closed and her eyes blurred, remembering the day that Allyn had given it to her, stuffed with red roses and with an engagement ring attached to the card. She forcibly swallowed down the lump that had formed in her throat and reminded herself that the past, and Allyn, was gone. It was past time to move on; and it was just a vase, after all.

By the time Squall had finished with filling the vase with water and installing the roses into it, she had regained her composure with no indication that anything had been wrong.

Setting it carefully upon the counter, he returned to her and said, "There, that's that. And now, it's time for dinner. Any ideas?"

"Worked up an appetite have you?" Rinoa asked him, starting to smile.

"Yes. If I've worn you out too much, I can cook dinner, so long as you don't mind scrambled eggs. That's pretty much the only thing I can cook in a pinch that ends up mostly edible." Squall said with a shrug and a slightly sheepish grin.

Rinoa smiled, enjoying the topless view he offered just as much as he'd enjoyed hers.

"We could order in," she suggested.

Squall had caught her appreciative look and just like that, wanted her in his arms again. Wanted to feel her smooth skin resting against his. He approached her and stroked his hand lightly up her leg, enjoying the combination of silk hose over smooth, firm skin.

"What do you like?" he asked her softly, slipping his arms loosely around her waist.

"Pizza's always good." She said, then added, "Or failing that, deli sandwiches, fried chicken or everyone's favorite, Dollett Dogs."

"Not mine," Squall muttered.

"Don't like Dollett Dogs?" Rinoa asked.

"No, not really." Squall answered. Rinoa laughed softly at this, and laughed harder when his stomach growled audibly.

"Well, we need to get _something_ into you, or you'll be useless later on." Rinoa said.

"Does that mean you'll _have_ a use for me later on then?" Squall asked her with an eyebrow raised.

"What do _you_ think?" Rinoa asked him archly.

"I think we'll both be very, very tired when all is said and done." Squall replied, leaning in to give her a slow, sweet kiss, then sweeping her up into his arms. Rinoa whooped and laughed in surprise, then wrapped her arms around his neck while he carried her into the bedroom. He set her down on the bed, and sat down next to her.

"We really should eat," Rinoa began, leaning into him and enjoying the feel of his warm skin against hers.

Squall shrugged and said, "So, call out for something."

"Not _this_ again," Rinoa sighed, then added in exasperation, "Oh, all right. Pizza then, since you aren't offering any suggestions."

Squall shrugged, "Fine by me."

"What kind of pizza do you like?" Rinoa asked, reaching for her phone.

"Whatever. I'm easy," Squall answered.

"I know," Rinoa said, giving him a sultry smile. Squall laughed softly in response.

"Only for you," he replied.

Rinoa's breath caught at that softly uttered rejoinder and her heart thumped painfully, wondering…. She left it alone, knowing instinctively that some men needed to arrive at their own conclusions regarding matters of the heart. Very few of them responded well to being pushed. She placed the order and informed Squall that they'd have dinner in about half an hour.

"So I guess I'd better put a shirt and some underwear back on," she said, getting up and searching out the required items. Once that was accomplished, she added, "and I need to clean off that table. No _way_ am I going to eat off of it after what we just did! Not until it's been disinfected at least."

"Prude," Squall said, lips quirked in amusement.

"Yep." Rinoa retorted, moving purposefully into the kitchen and opening the cabinet beneath the sink. Taking out a spray bottle and grabbing a couple of sheets of paper towels, she set to work.

Squall snorted softly and leaned back against the counter, watching her with his arms folded across his chest. She playfully poked at his side as she passed him on her way into the kitchen, making him jump slightly. She glanced up and smiled at him while putting the cleaning supplies away.

"Ticklish are we?"

"Uh, well, you should know," Squall answered, watching her approach him warily.

"There were _other things_ happening. That little detail must have slipped by me." She said, coming to a stop close to him. Suddenly she reached out and lightly ran her fingers up his sides.

Squall jumped and shuddered, admitting, "Ok. Yes, I'm ticklish."

Grinning wickedly, she attacked him, forcing him to squirm aside and grab her hands, laughing, "Ok, enough of that. Go. Call for pizza or I won't be responsible for what I do next!"

"Oh, do we get cranky when hungry?" Rinoa asked archly.

Lowering his voice to a growl, Squall said in her ear, "Yes, and I start _biting_ things…" Suiting action to words, he gently nipped her neck beneath her ear, making her squeal and laugh.

"Okay, I see your point. I already called by the way, you just weren't paying attention. Now behave until dinner gets here!" She ordered, pointing at the couch.

"Okay," Squall said meekly and sat down on the couch, watching her.

Rinoa raised her eyebrows in surprise at his obedience.

Half an hour later they were enjoying Rinoa's favorite pizza, pepperoni and sausage with black olives, she with a glass of red wine, and Squall with a beer from the six pack that he'd purchased earlier.

They spent the remainder of the night after dinner cuddled on the couch and watching television….and making love once again before finally going to bed to sleep contentedly in each other's arms.

Never once, during any of this, did it occur to Squall to worry about how deeply he was falling for Rinoa. Not once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: I was patting myself on the back for finally finishing this chapter when it was brought to my attention that by inadvertently omitting the letter R, I had turned Rinoa's BREASTS into BEASTS. Sooo I went ahead and corrected it, as that wasn't the image that i'd wanted to convey, amusing though it was.
> 
> and yet ANOTHER boo-boo was discovered by Queen00 (thanks for bringing that to my attention), so i corrected THAT minor hiccup as well. Ordinarily I don't miss stuff like that, but well...it's been an unusually distracting week for me.


	15. XV

Their days assumed an almost domestic pattern for the remainder of the week. Squall took over cooking breakfast and making coffee, doing his run and shower after Rinoa had left for work. Sometimes he woke her early and they made love, lost in each other for that idyllic moment out of time.

They took to meeting for lunch, much to the fascination of her co-workers. And much to the frustration of Rinoa's putative "friend" Kaylee, who'd somehow managed to run into Squall a few more times during the week. Each time she'd flirted outrageously with him, and each time had been not merely coolly but icily rebuffed. Far from discouraging her interest, Squall's aloof attitude instead presented a challenge that she was more than willing to accept. It was beginning to annoy him.

He'd even been deliberately rude to her on more than one occasion, and the girl had simply laughed it off. It left him wondering in frustration if she were truly as desperately persistent as she seemed or simply clueless beyond belief. It got to the point that he finally felt he should speak to Rinoa about it. If she knew the girl even slightly, perhaps she'd have an idea or two to help him get the point across that he was _not_ interested. Period.

But it was getting so close to the time that he'd be flying home to Esthar that he was wondering if there was even any point to mentioning it. Why ruin the little time he had left with her with what would be very shortly a moot issue anyway?

That, and a good many other things, occupied his mind as he walked with Rinoa and Angelo in the dog park that Friday evening. He was acutely conscious of the fact that the next day, Saturday, would be his last full day there. He'd be leaving early Sunday morning. And he didn't want to go.

"You're quieter than normal tonight," Rinoa observed, walking close to him.

"Sorry," he said. He frowned slightly, thinking to add to it, then remained silent. Too much in his mind for him to sort out and articulate anything coherent at the moment. And _far_ too much in his heart for words.

"So…you're leaving Sunday morning," Rinoa said, taking a shaky breath and hoping that Squall didn't notice it. Gods, she knew he hadn't promised anything beyond this week but..

"Hey Rinoa! You're finally back!" Kaylee's voice interrupted her as she waved enthusiastically and bounced up to Rinoa, all friendliness. Squall watched her, his chilly, narrow-eyed gaze more than enough to make strong men quake. Unfortunately, the effect was somewhat lessened by the fact that he was currently holding Angelo's lead instead of his gunblade, and Kaylee apparently was either thicker skinned than the average mercenary or made of significantly sterner stuff. He noticed as she chattered away with Rinoa, that she kept one eye on him. He kept his demeanor as remote and aloof as a marble statue, unwilling to encourage her by responding. At all.

"So where'd you go, anyway?" Kaylee asked, digging for the information that Squall had denied her all week.

"Go? What are you talking about? I haven't gone anywhere," Rinoa answered, frowning in confusion.

"You haven't?" Kaylee turned her full attention to Squall, eyeing him speculatively, and asked Rinoa, "so this absolutely delicious mystery man you're with isn't dog-sitting for you?" Her gaze turned acquisitive.

Rinoa recognized the look and answered the question with a distinct edge in her tone, "No, he is not."

"Really?" Kaylee's attention returned to Rinoa, and she raised her eyebrows. "Who is he then?"

"He's," Rinoa began, to be interrupted by Squall stepping closer and firmly taking her hand, saying, "getting tired of the bloody games. Take a hint: I'm _not_ interested."

Kaylee's mouth dropped open then snapped shut and twisted into a scowl, eyes glittering in anger as Squall turned on his heel, nearly pulling Rinoa off balance, then compelled her to follow as he stalked away.

Rinoa followed him just long enough, stumbling and struggling to keep up with his longer strides, until they'd gone what she judged to be a safe distance, then she dug in her heels and stopped. She was fully expecting Squall, who was very obviously peeved, to simply continue on and drag her by force. She was rather surprised when he stopped as well.

"I take it she's been plaguing you?" Rinoa asked him calmly; already knowing his ire was not focused on her.

Squall blinked in surprise and released her hand so he could rub at the back of his neck sheepishly, "all damned week. Short of applying a two by four to the back of her head repeatedly, I couldn't figure out how to convince her that I had NO interest in her whatsoever!"

Suddenly Rinoa began to laugh softly, then louder as Squall's sheepish-annoyed expression faded to confusion.

"I'm sorry," she said, wiping her eyes and taking a deep breath. "I can't help it. I know you're terribly annoyed, and please don't think I'm laughing at _you,_ though technically I kind of am… I've just noticed that your accent gets more pronounced when you're angry, and you sound…well… adorable."

Squall blinked at this, taken off guard. Folding his arms across his chest, he tilted his head to the side and regarded her quizzically.

"You're not mad that I dragged you off like that? I mean, it was terribly rude and not at all the way I'd normally treat anyone, let alone a lady," Squall finally said, then added, "Sorry about that, by the way."

"If it had been anyone but Kaylee, I would have been livid. But she's a special case. I was actually relieved you'd stepped in and dragged me off rather than standing there like a…a glowering statue." Rinoa replied with a half smile.

"She's a special case all right," Squall muttered, lips quirking into a slight smirk at Rinoa's laugh. "What's her deal anyway?"

Rinoa shook her head, saying, "I don't know. I don't know her very well. Maybe it's a competition thing. She drove Allyn mad too." Taking Squall's hand, she dismissed Kaylee from her mind and added, "Come on, let's head back and do something about dinner."

"I'm familiar with her sort. Queen bee type. She wants what she wants and unfortunately, right now it seems to be me," Squall said, squeezing her hand gently.

Rinoa sighed as they started walking back to her apartment, "well, she has good taste, I'll give her that. It's odd though, she's pretty enough, and she could have any man she wants…"

"Part of the game, I guess. Some women are like that. They like the challenge of taking what isn't theirs to begin with." Squall said with a shrug.

"I never understood that." Rinoa said with a frown.

Squall's expression softened as he looked down at her. That simple statement revealed more about Rinoa's character than anything else that she could have shown or told him. No, she _wouldn't_ have understood that. It simply wasn't in her nature to…to do something like _that_. She was still too innocent and pure of heart to even _begin_ to comprehend that kind of deceit… the type that had its roots in jealousy and greed.

Something that Squall, despite opting out of that game whenever possible, had seen often enough in his capacity as concierge/lover for hire. Poaching was discouraged of course, owing to the fact that the women there paid handsomely for their escorts and had their pick beforehand; but it still happened on occasion. Sometimes it was even part of the fantasy. He couldn't help but be philosophical about it; it was all about what his clients found exciting, after all. And the lure of the forbidden was a powerful one.

But he already knew that Rinoa would not, and would _never_ be, the sort to do that.

Glancing back in the direction from which they'd come, he caught a glimpse of the girl, Kaylee, staring at them.

"She's still watching us," Squall said, dropping his gaze to Rinoa's.

Rinoa sighed in exasperation after confirming this fact with a quick look of her own, then muttered, "I wish she'd stop, it's none of her business…"

"No," Squall said, a wicked glint entering his gaze. "But we can certainly give her something to think about."

"What…" Rinoa began, then stopped as Squall took her hand again and pulled her closer. Close enough that their bodies touched; close enough for him to settle his lips gently upon hers.

She swayed toward him, resting her body against his. He kept the kiss light, sweet and gentle, with just enough heat to make her ache for more. She wanted him to crush her against him and devour her mouth like he was starving, but he held off, far more conscious of their public setting than Rinoa was at the moment.

Her mind was still swimming when he finally pulled away from her, and she'd forgotten completely about … whoever she was. Instead, she simply stared into Squall's limpid blue eyes and tried to remember how to breathe again.

Licking her lips, she finally recovered enough to say breathlessly, "We need to go home."

A smile crinkled at the corners of Squall's eyes as he replied gravely, "yes, we do." His smile faded as he realized what she'd said. _We need to go home._ He swallowed at what that implied, and the ache that followed. Home. For the first time, he began to wonder where exactly home was. Increasingly, it was starting to feel as though _home_ wasn't where he was flying to the day after tomorrow, but what he was leaving behind.

She turned away, leaving her hand linked with his, and they started walking again.

"So…what do you want to do when we get there? Hmm? Dinner perhaps?" She asked, cocking her head back at him with a smile.

Squall couldn't help but smile back, and answered, "What if I want dessert first?"

Rinoa laughed softly at his cheeky response and responded, "Then I suppose we'll have to have dinner after. If you're still hungry that is."

He chuckled softly, "pretty sure I will be."

"Well then, I shall cook you dinner tonight, and feed you well." Rinoa said, inclining her head regally, as though she was a Queen granting a boon.

"You will cook me dinner? _You_?" Squall asked, cocking one eyebrow upward as he glanced down at her.

"Hey, don't look so surprised. I _can_ cook." Rinoa protested.

"Right," Squall said, unconvinced. "This whole week, you never set foot into the kitchen save to make coffee."

"There's only so much time in one day. I chose to spend it with you rather than cooking dinner for the both of us every night." Rinoa explained with great dignity, leading the way up the stairs to her apartment.

Squall wasn't sure if he'd inadvertently insulted her or not, her face was turned away at the moment. But he decided to proceed as though he had… it was usually the wisest choice, in the long run.

"I could help you," Squall offered. "I may not be much as a cook, but I'm pretty good with a knife. I follow directions really well too."

"Well then, your help will be welcome," Rinoa smiled up at him. "It'll be fun."

* * *

It was indeed fun. Squall's subtle hint about having "dessert" first was momentarily forgotten as they instead busied themselves with the process of preparing dinner. It was a strange thing for Squall to experience… prosaic, mundane, yet oddly intimate as well. A gentle touch here in passing as Rinoa went to take something from the refrigerator, a quick kiss there as Squall worked around her chopping vegetables.

He had no idea what they were in the process of creating, save that it seemed to involve a lot of chopped onions, carrots, celery and various fresh, aromatic herbs. When Rinoa brought out a packet of cubed meat and started browning it, he finally figured it out…she was making stew.

He watched, fascinated, as she systematically combined the browned meat with broth, red wine and the vegetables, then added the herbs and seasonings. Once it was boiling merrily, she turned down the temperature and placed a lid upon the pot. The smell was already mouthwatering, and Squall was very much interested in the final result of their combined efforts.

"There," Rinoa said, washing her hands at the sink and starting to tidy up. "That'll need to simmer for a bit, but it should be ready before you know it."

"I can't wait. It smells great already." Squall smiled at her. Rinoa smiled back.

"So what do you want to do now?" Rinoa asked him.

"Well, there's that little matter of having dessert first," Squall answered, slipping his hands around her waist and pulling her close.

Rinoa looked up into his eyes and swallowed at the hunger in his bottomless gaze. Her arms automatically slid around him and she leaned into his solid warmth, sighing at the sensation of his hands traveling gently up and down her back.

Of their own accord, her hands moved down his back as well, coming to rest on his firm backside, then giving in to temptation and squeezing slightly. She smiled in response to his quiet chuckle and stretched upward to meet his kiss.

"Dessert sounds wonderful," she sighed when they came up for air. At his speculative glance at the dining room table, just a few feet away, Rinoa sharply pinched his rear to get his attention, causing him to flinch in surprise.

"No." She said firmly. Pulling away, she laced her fingers through his and gently urged him to the bedroom. He knew better than to resist.

Chuckling slightly, he dove in for a quick nibble at her neck, making her shiver slightly, and asked, "Where's your sense of adventure?"

"In the cupboard under the sink along with the disinfectant wipes." Rinoa retorted wryly, making him laugh harder. "The bed's _much_ more comfortable." She added.

"There is that," Squall conceded. "More room to roll around on too. And no crystal vases to shatter."

"See? Win-win." Rinoa replied triumphantly.

Squall laughed and pulled her in for another kiss, one that quickly changed from joyous and light to passionate and hungry. Despite what bubbled beneath the surface…what _always_ seemed to bubble beneath the surface… they undressed each other slowly.

Light touches and kisses on each revealed bit of skin transmitted more than just raw need. Rinoa sensed it, even if Squall did not. There was something more than just passion or desire taking root now. Something deeper and more real. Even if Squall was not consciously aware of it or able to verbalize it, Rinoa could feel it in every kiss, caress, and touch of his. She could not speculate on what his actual feelings were, and she was too afraid to ask and risk pushing him away. Besides, even if _she_ was able to fall head over heels in love with him on the strength of just a week's time spent in his company… _and_ in bed with him…she couldn't expect the same of him. It was neither fair nor realistic.

He hadn't promised her anything beyond this week. And she… _wouldn't_ … ask it of him if he wasn't ready for more. But the thought that in just over twenty-four hours she would be alone again made her want to weep. She resolutely clamped down on that urge. It was too soon for _that_ too. She concentrated instead upon enjoying every moment that she had left to be with him.

So she did indeed roll around on the bed with him, kissing and caressing every inch of his body that she could, doing her best to store deep into her mind and heart every sensation, every second of the time that remained. Squall did the same, and they were both breathless and sweating in short order, bodies aching to be one flesh once again.

Squall leaned away from her for a moment, to grab a condom from the supply Rinoa had stashed in the top drawer of her nearby nightstand. Rinoa simply lay back for a moment to catch her breath, body throbbing, aching for him to complete her.

Once he'd prepared himself, he rolled to face her and pulled her close, kissing her, making her thrill to the hard length that pressed against her intimately, demanding entrance. She thought he'd reposition himself then as he'd often done, covering her with his warmth, pressing her down into the bed with his weight as he slid home. But he didn't.

Instead, he rolled onto his back, taking her with him so that she lay on top of him.

"What…?" She began, but was cut off by his kiss.

"I want you on top this time," he whispered, hands sliding down her back to her hips, gripping them.

Rinoa's breath clogged in her throat as she felt him shift and maneuver beneath her, his movement causing him to rub against her intimately, making her want to weep with frustration at his teasing.

"Why?" she managed through dry lips. She gasped as he surged against her again.

"Because," he answered, sounding as breathless as she, gripping her hips firmly and lifting them slightly. "I want to _watch_ you ride me this time; it was too dark the last time we did this."

Rinoa's breath left her completely in a low moan as he shifted her again and entered her. She lay as though paralyzed, collapsed upon his solid chest, mesmerized by his warm azure gaze. He moved gently, slowly within her, caressing her back from nape to hip, subtly adjusting the position of her legs, encouraging her to straddle him. All the while kissing her lips, and nibbling at her neck and shoulder.

Taking hold of her shoulders, he pushed her back, whispering, "Sit back a bit."

She did so at his urging, shifting her position until she sat upright, gasping at the change in sensation that resulted. She rolled her hips from sheer instinct, and watched Squall's response in fascination. He grabbed her hips firmly and held them still a moment, gasping. Rinoa didn't know what he saw, looking up at her, but she loved what _she_ saw, gazing down at him from her lofty perspective.

"Match my rhythm." He instructed, hands still on her hips, voice low, thick and raw. "Move as I move."

His hands guided her, gripping her hips firmly, helping her to meet his thrusts. He kept the pace slow at first, allowing her to get used to the rhythm. Once she did, his hands roamed upward to caress and fondle her breasts, causing her to moan and shudder, intensifying the tension that was building, stroke by stroke.

She thought he'd simply lie back and let her do as she would, but he didn't. Instead, he took advantage of the freedom that it gave him to touch and caress. His hands traveled all over her body, up her thighs, over her hips to her waist, reaching back to grip her behind and pull her into a hard thrust that made her gasp and shudder. She fell forward, bracing her hands on his solid chest, and closed her eyes, lost in the sensations that rocketed through her nerve endings.

She fought for breath, moaning, as Squall stepped up the pace. She did her best to keep up but his kisses and caresses were everywhere; distracting her with the surprising, sharp scrape of his teeth on her sensitized nipples, a gentle nip on her shoulder, then her neck, then a soul-deep melding of his lips with hers. She was lost.

A shudder wracked her and she reared her head back, crying out and convulsively clutching at Squall, digging nails into skin as her climax flung her onto rippling waves of pleasure. He groaned gutturally and his arms tightened around her as well, crushing her against him while he thrust hard, then shuddered as his own release left him momentarily paralyzed in her embrace. Paralyzed, trembling and fighting for air.

When he could find his voice again, he relaxed his hold a bit on Rinoa and rested his head momentarily against hers, then closed his eyes and sighed.

"Gods," he whispered breathlessly, unable at the moment to articulate much more than that.

Overcome by a sudden wave of tenderness, Rinoa blinked her watering eyes and leaned her cheek against his, caressing his back and tangling her fingers in his hair. _I love you,_ she thought, but didn't dare say. Instead, she simply held him and listened to his heavy breaths, felt his heart, thumping against her chest.

Finally, he loosened his arms around her, letting them stroke lightly down her back while moving his face to trail his lips along her cheek to meet her lips, kissing them gently. He pulled back slightly and caressed her hair, then her face, brushing an errant strand of hair away.

The mouth-watering smell of the stew that he'd helped Rinoa cook wafted into his consciousness, and Rinoa smiled at him, making his heart tip over, forcing him to swallow whatever it was that had suddenly taken up residence in his throat.

"Smells like dinner is done." Rinoa observed.

"Good. I'm starving." Squall said, but made no move to disentangle himself from her. Instead, he lay back onto the bed, taking her with him. He hugged her again and gave her another kiss before releasing her so she could get up.

Once she did, he got up himself and stole another quick kiss on the way to the bathroom. While he was busy with that, Rinoa cast about, looking for her robe before remembering that she'd left it hanging on the bathroom door, which was closed behind the room's current occupant. Unable to retrieve it, she snatched the first thing she could find, which turned out to be the tee shirt that Squall had been wearing that day.

She pulled it on and took a deep breath, breathing in the subtle mixture of scents he'd left behind upon the soft garment: his deodorant, his cologne, the earthier hint of his sweat and the essence of his skin. She hugged herself, feeling as though his arms were wrapped around her still. It was large, of course it _would_ be; Squall was taller and broader in the chest than she was, and tended to wear his shirts loose.

It fell midway down her thighs, covering her decently…or nearly so. Grabbing her discarded panties, she put them on, then a pair of shorts, becoming wholly decent. She smoothed the shirt back down, smiling at the feel of the soft cotton against her skin. She had admired it on him earlier; the deep midnight blue had been particularly striking on him. The screen-printed graphic on the front in white, identifying him as alum of the Balamb Garden SeeD Academy, had generated looks ranging from respect to almost fearful. Squall might have been oblivious, but Rinoa had noticed. She'd also noticed how women tended to stare at his chest before letting their eyes rest upon his face…. and freeze there.

If she was to be honest, it gave her a bit of a thrill to be the one whose hand he held, and whose cheek he kissed.

"It looks better on you." Squall commented, emerging from the bathroom and coming up to her. Slipping his arms around her, he pulled her into a hug, smoothing his hands over the fabric on her back. Then he stepped away and picked up his pants, pulling them on.

"Glad you think so, but I'm torn. I love the way it feels and smells to wear it, but you look…. _amazing_ …. in it." Rinoa replied with a smile.

Raising an eyebrow, Squall asked, "Should I get one for you?"

"I like this one." She answered, stroking her hands down the soft cotton and folding her arms.

Squall simply smiled, then nodded toward the kitchen, "Well, why don't we go eat then?"

"All right."

* * *

Dinner of course was delicious, and Squall couldn't help feeling …warm inside, at the thought that he'd assisted Rinoa in its creation. Or perhaps it was the wine he had opted to drink with his dinner, though he didn't think so. For one thing, he'd yet to finish his first glass.

Once they'd finished eating, he volunteered to help her put the food away and wash the dishes…a small enough task given it was only the two of them. After that was accomplished they retired to the couch to watch a movie that Rinoa had mentioned wanting to see.

And all the time, as he sat on the couch with her cuddled close, the lights off and his glass of red wine in hand, the thought echoed round and round in his head that he didn't want it to end. He closed his eyes a moment and took a long drink of his wine, letting the subtle flavors develop before allowing the liquid to slide down his throat. He couldn't stay. He had to go home to Esthar, to Ellone, to his job…. but he already knew he was leaving something important behind when he did.

_Someone_ important. Squall opened his eyes and pressed a soft kiss against Rinoa's temple. He'd already decided to come back; but he had a lot of work to do before he could. He had no idea how long it would be before he returned to see Rinoa again; there were far too many things to arrange before that could be accomplished. He also worried… about a lot of things.

He wondered if she was even interested in anything more than this week. They'd never spoken of it, and for the first time, Squall felt uncertain about her feelings toward him. Was it even fair to assume that she'd want to continue seeing him and be willing to embark upon a long-distance relationship? Was it fair to ask that of her when she'd be separated from him for weeks, possibly months at a time?

No, he decided, it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair to expect her to wait days, weeks, months for him on the off chance he'd come back to see her. What if she passed on the chance of lasting happiness that she'd missed with her fiancée's death while waiting for _him_? He swallowed at the pang that left in his heart at the thought of her being with someone else, even though he knew realistically that long-distance relationships rarely worked.

He should simply say good-bye to her and let her resume the life that he'd so rudely interrupted with his impromptu visit. _If_ he wanted to be unselfish, and allow her the chance to find someone truly special that she could finally have her beautiful wedding and honeymoon with. He _should_ do that. It was the noble, gentlemanly, generous, _right_ thing to do.

He wasn't noble. He'd never claimed to be a gentleman. His generosity had limits, and as far as "doing the right thing" went…that began and ended when he'd found Ellone. He wanted Rinoa, plain and simple. Wanted her for _himself_. He'd be damned if he shared her with _anyone_. Perhaps it was selfish of him, but he'd never claimed any of those virtues anyway.

So that left him with really only one thing to ponder: how to conduct a relationship with a woman who lived on the other side of the planet, and how to make it work…. until such time as those plans he'd set in motion came to fruition. If they ever did.

And he was left adrift once again in uncharted waters, feeling both apprehensive and oddly enough, exhilarated.

If Rinoa ever wondered at his occasions of silent distraction that evening, she didn't remark upon it. Nor did she say anything about the fiercely hungry way he made love to her that night. It was a hunger she matched, and if they had spoken to each other about it, they'd have realized that it stemmed from the same source. Neither of them was good with partings, and so they clung to each other that night until exhaustion claimed them. They slept then, still entwined; arms, legs and hearts hopelessly tangled together.

He woke before she did, as usual. Ingrained habit from a lifetime of living in a military institution had made early rising a fact of life for him. Of course nowadays, he sometimes had the option of remaining in bed; at least this last week he did. He felt positively indolent and hedonistic on those days, particularly when they began much as they'd ended; with Rinoa's arms and legs wrapped around him while he sank deep into her softness.

This morning however, he did nothing but watch her sleep. He wanted to imprint deep into his mind the tiniest of details present in this one moment out of time; how sleep left a slight flush on her fair skin and how soft her lips looked, in relaxed somnolence. How her black hair, tumbled across her pillow in an inky tangle, contrasted with the crisp, white linens. How the first light of dawn lent her skin a pearlescent luminance, like white velvet. How his fingers itched to touch her once again, reminding himself that her skin really was as smooth and soft as it looked. He wanted to lock those memories deep into his mind so that he'd be able to take at least _that_ home with him. He hoped it would be enough to sustain him until he could see her again.

They hadn't really talked about what they might do; it was Saturday and Rinoa was off work, so they had the entire day to themselves. Squall was perfectly fine with spending it in bed with her. He would have no complaints at all if they did nothing else.

The mere thought ignited a craving to repeat the lovemaking they'd engaged in the night before. But Rinoa looked so peaceful, so beautiful, and so innocent _still_ … that he didn't want to wake her. He frowned, swallowing. That odd pang was back.

A pang of a different sort finally drove him from the bed to the bathroom to deal with it. By the time he returned, Rinoa was stirring, shifting restlessly and reaching for the space he'd just vacated. He slipped back into the bed and into her arms, pulling her close.

She opened her eyes, sighing, "Morning."

Squall smiled gently at her. "Good morning," He replied quietly.

Rinoa smiled in turn, gazing up at him. His eyes somehow looked even bluer this morning than they did the night before. Perhaps it was just a trick of the morning light just starting to brighten the draperies that gave his eyes a particularly soft, almost vulnerable expression. A shadow of coppery brown stubble added rustic interest to the planes and angles of his cheeks and jaw, the harshness softened by the sensual curve of his lips.

Suddenly, she was possessed by the urge to touch him. She traced her fingers lightly up his back, prompting him to catch his breath and freeze, watching her closely. Emboldened by this, she continued, focusing upon the tactile sensations she felt through her fingertips. Reading the different textures of his skin; the slight roughness of hair on his forearms, the imperfections of scars that marred the smooth expanse of his back, shoulders, flanks and chest. Squall simply watched her, swallowing at the sensations Rinoa's light touches evoked, but otherwise doing nothing, allowing her to do what she would.

She let her fingers drift up toward his face, brushing them lightly over the stubble on his cheeks and chin; fascinated by the way it felt. The rough prickle scraped pleasantly beneath her fingertips, scratching lightly on the backs of her fingers as she stroked them along Squall's cheek. He sighed, closing his eyes, and leaned his face into her caress, prompting her to re-orient her hand to cradle it. Still focused on the tactile sensations of rough whiskers, hard bone of jaw and cheek and smooth skin, Rinoa continued her caresses. She could feel the warmth of Squall's breath on her wrist, and she caught her own breath in a gasp when he moved slightly and placed his lips lightly against it in a feather-light kiss.

He opened his eyes then, the calm turquoise depths warm and clear as the tropical seas. And not nearly as opaque and guarded as Rinoa remembered them being from their first meeting. Over the past week, she'd devoted a great deal of time studying his eyes covertly. Or as covertly as she could, though if Squall had noticed, he was tactful enough not to mention it.

There had always been a slight reserve there, though she'd noticed that he'd seemed to be making an effort not to be so guarded. At least it appeared so to her, though she could have been deluding herself and reading more into his every glance and gesture than he perhaps meant. She didn't think so though, not when his unguarded moments came more and more frequently. Not when his sometimes-tentative, sometimes cautious efforts to be open with her were so richly rewarded.

He smiled for her, and that smile lit his eyes with warmth and gave them a jewel-like sparkle. He laughed at her jokes, and even joked dryly back with her. They spoke more easily with each other, but both shied away from speaking of what was growing between them. Rinoa knew why she didn't, and suspected that Squall's reticence in that regard was from a similar cause.

Neither wanted to broach what may end in being a painful denouement to their brief idyll.

And it was ending all too soon. In twenty-four hours, give or take, as a matter of fact. Rinoa couldn't ignore that fact, and didn't know what she'd do, once he was gone. She couldn't expect him to make a promise that would be close to impossible to keep; he had his life in Esthar, and she had her life here in Deling City. It would be monstrously unfair to expect him to tie his life up with hers, trying to manage a long-distance relationship that literally had half the planet between them. He hadn't made any promises to her, nor had she expected them.

That didn't stop her from wanting them anyway. And it didn't stop her traitor heart from urging her to lay it at his feet in the hopes that he would take it for the gift that it was. It didn't stop her from loving him. Regardless of what he felt, she'd already fallen, and hard, for him. But she wouldn't ask him to stay, nor ask any more of him than he was willing to give freely.

"How'd you sleep?" Squall asked her finally, a large, callused hand caressing up her thigh, over her hip, curving around to her bottom. Rinoa smiled at him but didn't resist as he drew her close. She was distracted momentarily by his warmth and the contrast of his roughened hand gliding along her smooth skin, but eventually gathered her wits enough to answer him.

"Pretty well. How about you?" Rinoa answered in kind.

"The same," Squall replied economically. His hand slid upward from her bottom to the curve of her lower back, resting there for a moment.

"What do you want to do today?" Rinoa asked him.

He answered with a raised eyebrow, "What do you think?" Rinoa gasped at the rigid evidence of his interest that pressed against her belly when he pressed her close against him.

"Okay," she answered, somewhat breathless. "I guess that's self-evident. But surely you don't want to do just _that_ …"

"No," He murmured, distracting her by sliding his hand slowly up her back while brushing light, teasing kisses along her cheekbones, forehead, ears, and neck. "I suppose we'll need to get up at some point to eat, shower, shift positions, find someplace else that we haven't made love in…"

"But you really do intend to spend the entire day just having sex with me?" Rinoa asked, wondering if that was even humanly possible.

"Making love." Squall clarified distinctly. "And yes, that's the plan."

Rinoa smiled gently at his firm clarification. For some reason that just made her want to melt inside. And suddenly, she couldn't think of a better way to spend the last day of his visit.

"We might have difficulties walking tomorrow," Rinoa said, still smiling.

"Worth it." Squall replied, silencing Rinoa's response with his lips, kissing her until they were both breathless.

When Rinoa caught her breath, she asked him, "Want to share a shower after?"

"Yes."

"And at some point, we'll need to take a break to eat something. You know, keep our energy levels up."

"Of course."

"And…"

"Rinoa," Squall interrupted her softly, eyes sparkling with amusement. "We'll take care of what we need to _when_ we need to. One thing at a time." He moved in for another kiss but Rinoa stopped him, placing her fingers over his lips.

"Okay then, first things first. I'll be right back." Rinoa said, giving him a quick kiss and squirming out of his grasp and out of the bed. Squall sighed quietly and propped his head on his fist, watching as she disappeared into the bathroom. He hoped she'd be willing to rejoin him in bed rather than moving on to other, more _routine_ tasks.

Rejoin him she did, slipping under the covers and into his arms upon returning from the bathroom. He immediately sealed his lips over hers, pressing her close while employing his tongue to tease and tantalize. Rinoa speared her fingers through his hair, threading them through the thick, silky strands while kissing him back with complete abandon.

It was always like that, Squall reflected. She never held anything back when they made love; from first to last, Rinoa did everything with her whole heart. It left him feeling humbled and a little awed that she felt he deserved that. He wasn't sure what to make of it; and actually felt a little selfish taking what she gave him, feeling that what he gave in return was in no way a fair exchange.

But it gave him much to consider on the long flight back to Esthar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another chapter done! YAY! Gonna try and keep up with these better, in spite of all the distractions and things going on..art and writing projects and myriad obsessions (my newest time waster: Twitter. Yep. I'm a bona-fide Twit now..). AAAAND there are all the fandoms that i've gotten myself involved in.. FF8 is one i've been in for YEARS, Star Trek even before that (side note: i'm following William Shatner, George Takei AND Leonard Nimoy on Twitter. My life is now complete) and Outlander, which has now become my HUGEST obsession. It doesn't hurt that Diana Gabaldon (author of that book and the 8 others in the series) is a genuinely nice woman and is very accessible to her fans on Twitter. Nor does it hurt that it's in the process of being turned into a TV series by Starz, and that the main actors, producers AND writers are ALL more than happy to interact with the fans on Twitter...yeah. i'm obsessed. anyway... Squall's gone back to Esthar and well...He'll have time to think about things (he's a guy, so arriving at the obvious conclusion that he's in love with Rinoa may take a bit of time..). SO..more fun coming. Hope you aren't bored yet...


	16. Chapter 16

"So, how was the trip to Deling City?" Ellone asked, pouring Squall a cup of coffee.

"Fine," He answered noncommittally. Ellone snorted at this and added sugar and cream to her coffee before sitting down at her dining room table. Squall joined her moments later and took a sip of his as he sat down.

"Are you going to elaborate?" Ellone asked, eyebrows raised. She smiled gently at Squall's frown of confusion, and clarified, "I just want to know how things went, that's all. It's not every day my little brother flies halfway across the world after a girl."

"Oh," Squall said, then sighed and looked away for a moment. Ellone had left the shades on the glassed doors leading to her balcony partially opened, and Esthar's blinding sunlight streamed into her dining room. But his mind was on the gray, rain washed skies of Deling City that he'd left behind a week ago. It had rained so hard that both he and Rinoa had thought that his flight would be cancelled. He was almost disappointed when the weather cleared sufficiently for the aircraft to continue with its flight. Not only that, it even managed to be on time.

"You miss her, don't you?" Ellone asked, smiling slightly at his distraction. It wasn't hard to guess at where his mind had gone; for once, his expression gave it away completely. She'd never thought she'd see such a mixture of sadness and longing on his face…ever.

Squall snapped his head around and focused on Ellone with a frown, his gaze boring into her eyes with its usual intensity. Then he sighed again and nodded slightly, taking another sip of his coffee.

"Yeah. I do." He finally answered.

"Then she must be someone very special. Will you tell me about her?" Ellone pressed.

Squall hesitated for a moment to gather his thoughts, then said, "Her name is Rinoa. Rinoa Heartilly. She….. Well she was a client but…there was a bit of a mix-up. Anyway, she ended up with me and…"

Ellone hid a smile at Squall's rather awkward answer, saying, "I know how you met her, I just want to know what she's _like_."

Squall frowned and fell silent, then dropped his gaze into his cup of coffee. Finally he said softly with a half-smile, "her smile would melt a polar icecap. It was the first thing I thought, when I saw it."

Ellone smiled happily at this, and urged him, "Go on."

The half-smile turned wistful, and Squall continued, "She's beautiful, of course. She has long, black hair that feels like liquid silk when I run my fingers through it. Her skin reminds me of the petals of a Blush Rose; soft as velvet, and white with just a faint hint of pink on her cheeks.. She's little, you know. Small, petite…." Squall glanced at Ellone and smiled gently at her, "about your size, actually."

Ellone laughed softly at this, and reached across the table to take his hand. His fingers automatically curled around hers and squeezed gently.

"She sounds wonderful." Ellone smiled at him. "And it sounds like she's captured your heart."

Squall looked away for a moment, uncomfortable. "I….wouldn't know about that. I mean…I've never…" He swallowed, unable to verbalize what he was feeling.

Ellone squeezed his hand, regaining his attention. When she had it, she said gently, "I know. Tell me more about her."

"Why?"

"I want to see her through your eyes. I want to know what kind of person she is." Ellone answered, adding mentally, _I want to know more about this young woman whom you've obviously fallen in love with. I want to know if she's someone who will recognize how truly fragile your heart actually is._

Squall fell silent for a moment, then grinned suddenly and said, "She asked me out to a Bears playoff game. She works for them doing P.R. stuff and had two tickets and access to the owner's private box."

Ellone laughed, delighted, "You saw that playoff game? In the owner's own box? What was it like?"

"It was great! We had so much fun!" Squall answered, still grinning. "She has this…quirk I guess you'd call it. She'll mouth off like crazy while the game is going on, but she never actually uses any swear words. It's really funny and kind of cute."

Ellone's smile broadened and she prompted him, "What else?"

"Well, she has a dog. A Galbadian Shepherd mix named Angelo. And she likes cartoons, which I thought was kind of weird at first. I mean, she's an adult, but she still gets a kick out of watching Marky Moomba. She has a kind of silly sense of humor too, from what I've seen. She must get it from the cartoons." Squall said.

"She likes Marky Moomba?" Ellone asked, surprised. "Did you watch some with her?"

"Yeah. It was odd at first. I didn't get it and thought it kind of silly. But…that's kind of the point, isn't it? Just silly fun?" Squall asked, glancing at Ellone.

"Yes, it is. I'm glad you were able to spend time with her and get to know her." Ellone said, smiling gently, then asked him, "When are you going to see her again? I know you miss her."

Squall nodded, not bothering to deny it, then sighed, "I don't know. I've got a lot of stuff going on here that I need to keep on top of. At least for the time being. But I _do_ need to go back to Galbadia, sometime in the next week or so."

"Oh?" Ellone asked, catching the word _need_ rather than _want._

Squall looked away again and answered quietly, "I want to go back Ellone. To stay. But there are some things that I need to arrange first. I need a place to live and something to do. I've got a few things pending but I'll have to go back to Deling City to finalize them. So it would be a business trip. And….I might not have time to see Rinoa while I'm there."

"Squall." Ellone said, squeezing his hand again. "Make the time. Go do what you need to do little brother, with my blessing. I'll be fine."

Squall smiled and squeezed her hand back, saying, "Thanks Sis."

"Just one thing," Ellone stopped him as he started to get up.

"What?" He asked.

"Bring her back here as soon as you can arrange it so I can meet her." Ellone answered.

"Okay." Squall said, nodding.

Ellone set her coffee cup down and crossed over to him, sliding her arms around his waist in a warm hug. Squall gently hugged her back and kissed the top of her head.

"Have a good day at work Squall." Ellone told him.

"You too. I'll talk to you later Sis."

* * *

"Is he still calling you every night?" Quistis asked Rinoa as she poked her fork into her salad.

"Well, not _every_ night. Sometimes he gets held up and can't, so he emails. The time zone thing's a real pain." Rinoa answered, paying her own lunch scant attention, instead taking a sip from her iced tea.

"Hey, at least he's trying. I'm actually kind of surprised. I mean, granted I don't know the guy, but he didn't look like the sort that would do that. Especially not every night for what…two weeks now? I'm impressed. Obviously he's more than just a pretty face." Selphie commented, taking a long slurp from her chocolate-strawberry-peanut butter smoothie.

"So I've heard," Quistis quipped with a smirk. "Incessantly and in detail. I still can't believe that you ogled Rinoa's boyfriend long enough to commit every detail of his anatomy to memory."

Selphie giggled and Rinoa's cheeks reddened. The _boyfriend_ part was still a little bit in question, and she hadn't had time to get that question answered…and didn't want to ask it over the phone with time and distance between her and Squall.

Calming herself with a great deal of effort, Selphie managed with only a slight giggle in her voice, "I was not _ogling_. I was _appreciating_. That body of his is a work of art!"

Quistis nodded, "Granted, though I didn't have _quite_ as good a view of him as you did." Turning toward Rinoa with a smile, Quistis added, "That picture you took of him at the hockey game is beyond adorable. If you want we can print it out from my printer. I have some leftover photo paper."

"I'd like that," Rinoa smiled back.

"Great! You can put his adorableness in a frame on your desk!" Selphie chirped up happily, prompting Quistis and Rinoa both to laugh.

Selphie and Quistis had convinced Rinoa to come out with them for lunch, and while they ate, grilled her mercilessly about Squall and the State Of Their Relationship. They were fascinated by how things had developed so far and were ecstatic over Rinoa's apparent happiness... when she wasn't missing Squall more than she'd ever missed anyone, including Allyn, in her life.

And at least Rinoa knew it _was_ a relationship. Squall had made that clear the morning that he'd left. Her mind drifted off, remembering that morning…

It had been cold and rainy, and she'd had a sudden, selfish hope that the flight would be cancelled and Squall would have to stay another night. They'd both been standing in the airport, waiting for his final boarding call, staring out the huge windows. When she'd snuck a look at Squall as he'd gazed out at the rain sheeting down onto the tarmac, she couldn't decipher his expression however, and it left her slightly worried. Maybe he was _happy_ to go home?

She found herself sifting through a hundred, a thousand things to say to him…anything to break the silent constraint that had fallen between them…and discarding them all, unable to verbalize what she was feeling. Aside from bereft, that was.

Then his large hand closed gently over hers, and she wanted to weep at the warmth that seemed to radiate up her arm and right into her heart. The rain chose that moment to peter out and stop, and Rinoa's heart sank. It was better than an hour still before his flight was due to take off, and she knew how quickly weather could clear and runways could dry in the early spring. His flight might end up only slightly delayed, rather than cancelled.

"Rinoa?" He asked her softly. When she turned to face him, his expression softened. "You okay?"

She blinked and took a deep, shaky breath. Feeling a stray drop of moisture leak from the corner of her eye, she tried to duck away to hide it but Squall wasn't having it and stopped her by cupping her cheek and catching the tear on his thumb.

"I'm…not very good with farewells…" Rinoa finally mumbled in explanation.

Squall's response was a rueful snort, then a deep sigh before he replied, "Neither am I, actually."

"So…how do we do this? How do we say good-bye?" Rinoa asked him helplessly, gazing pleadingly into his eyes and getting lost in their azure depths once again. _How do I let you go without begging you to stay? Without telling you I love you?_

Squall's hand, still cupping Rinoa's cheek, caressed it gently. Then he brushed his thumb over her bottom lip, prompting her to open her mouth slightly.

Finally he murmured softly, "We don't."

"What? But…" Rinoa protested, but his fingers on her lips stilled her.

"This isn't good-bye for me. I don't care how much distance we have between us. I _will_ come back for you, as often as I can, for as long as you want me to. It kills me to leave you, but right _now_ at least, I don't have a choice. But I want to make this work, if you're…willing to work _with_ me…" Squall said softly, watching her closely.

"You…. So you want to…what, have a long distance relationship with me? How? How do we even…?" Rinoa asked him, biting her lip anxiously.

"I don't now. But I'm willing to try and figure it out. Like I said, I'll try to fly out here as often as I can, and maybe if you have some time off, you can come see me in Esthar too. Just tell me when and I'll set up the flight." Squall said.

"You don't have to.." Rinoa began, but Squall's fingers silenced her again.

"Shh.. I want to. Just say the word and I'll have a plane ticket waiting for you." He said firmly.

Rinoa swallowed, then smiled, "Alright then, I will."

"Good," he said, then fell silent, mind and heart getting all tangled up again, leaving him struggling to sort out what he wanted to say and what he felt. He told his mind to shut up and let his heart lead. His heart told him to kiss her. He knew better than to argue, not that he'd have done so anyway, and tugged on Rinoa's hand, pulling her closer.

She saw his intent and raised her lips to meet his, eyes drifting closed. He started slowly, lips gently settling over hers as he pulled her flush against his body. He tasted, he teased, his lips sliding wetly across hers, tongue sneaking in to tantalize and inflame. And it was suddenly only that; just the kiss, the taste and texture and feel of it, the heat of her body against his. Her fingers clutching at his shoulders while his arms tightened around her and pressed her close.

Eventually they came up for air, completely oblivious to the fact that they'd attracted the attention of Squall's fellow passengers, who were waiting just as Squall was, for boarding to be announced.

Leaning his forehead against hers and closing his eyes, Squall whispered, "I'm going to miss you."

Tears pricked at Rinoa's eyes as she swallowed and managed in a thin, but mostly steady whisper, "Me too…"

Squall opened his eyes and pulled back a bit, lifting his hands from her waist to caress Rinoa's cheeks, gaze still locked with hers. An echoing announcement from the PA was mostly ignored while they remained focused on each other. Then Rinoa leaned forward and buried her face into his chest while he hugged her tightly and kissed her hair.

"I'll call you," he whispered into her hair, making Rinoa want to weep into his shirt. "When I land. And…every night I can. You know, the time zones…we might miss each other…"

"That's okay. I'll call you if we miss each other." Rinoa said, voice muffled by her face being pressed into his chest. The airport's PA sounded again with another announcement, which Squall heard with only half an ear…until he saw the other passengers queuing up to board.

Feeling his tension, Rinoa raised her head and saw the line, swallowing. Squall was gazing at the line of passengers with a pensive and slightly sad expression on his face.

"I have to go." Squall said, turning back to her.

"I know." She managed, stepping away so that he could take his place in the rapidly diminishing line. He slung the carry-bag that had been resting at his feet over his shoulder in preparation.

He hesitated a moment, at a loss of what to say next, then finally said, "I'll…I'll talk to you later."

"I hope so. Have a safe flight," Rinoa said, trying hard not to let the tears stinging her eyes fall. Squall frowned slightly, seeing them, but could do nothing but nod as the flight attendant began to urge him to make greater haste toward the jetway. He reluctantly turned away and left.

"Hello! Ground control to Rinoa? Where'd you go?" Selphie was saying, finally pulling Rinoa back from her memories.

"I…I was…" she began lamely, and then stopped, not wanting to share _that_ memory with her friends.

"Never mind Selphie, _I_ can guess even if you can't." Quistis said dryly. Then she smiled at Rinoa and asked, "Have you figured out when you'll see each other again?"

"Well, not yet.." Rinoa answered.

"And how long is this long distance thing going to last anyway? I mean, eventually you're gonna have to figure out if you're gonna move there or if he's gonna move here." Selphie chimed in.

Rinoa toyed distractedly with her fork, poking at her lunch aimlessly, brows knitted in worry as Selphie's comment brought that exact concern to the forefront of her mind. It had lurked in the shadows; something she knew was there and would eventually have to be addressed but…not yet. Not yet.

A sudden ringing in her purse grabbed her attention and her heart leaped for joy at the thought that it might be Squall calling, though the hour was a bit odd for him. Then she saw the number when she pulled out the phone and sighed.

"Hi Caraway," she answered.

* * *

The boat scraped bottom on the pristine white sand as the breakers pushed it further aground before retreating. Squall gazed around with interest while the guide and the agent both hopped out of the boat, prompting him to follow and lend his strength to pull the skiff further up onto the beach.

"So…here it is," the agent said, looking apprehensively into the thick jungle just a few meters away. "Eden Island."

"You sure you want this place boy? Last survey team was lucky to come back in one piece." The guide said, spitting a stream of tobacco into the sand before adding, "We're probably standing in the only spot where we _ain't_ in danger."

The agent shot the man a stony glare before clearing his throat and saying, "the fauna of this island _is_ very…unique…and does command a great deal of respect. But the survey _was_ completed, and you have the results of that survey, don't you?"

"Had to hire SeeDs to escort the survey team," the guide mumbled. "Only reason we even came back alive."

"I remember." Squall said, striding up the beach toward the jungle. "I was the one that assigned the team that escorted you."

The real estate agent and the guide both exchanged a glance, the agent's expression one of shock, while the guide frowned, thinking hard.

"What was your name again boy?" he asked.

Squall paused and looked back at the two men, noting that neither had budged an inch toward the jungle. "Squall Leonhart," he answered.

" _Commander_ Squall Leonhart?" The real estate agent stared at him shock as recognition dawned. "I thought you'd be older!"

"Its just Squall now. I'm retired." Squall said.

"Nice to be able to retire at…what are you, twenty-five? To buy an island," the guide said. "SeeDs must make good money."

"They do, but their lives tend to be short. I opted out before it caught up with me." Squall replied, then folded his arms and gazed steadily at the men, adding, "I've read the prospectus Mr. Armey, and I'm fully aware of the numbers and types of monsters that inhabit this island. I can tell you with perfect assurance that I'm fully equipped to deal with them." Hitching Lion Heart higher in its back carry, Squall checked the satchel he had slung over one shoulder and the canteen he had over the other.

Then he returned his attention to the men, who had reluctantly begun taking similar items out of the boat and putting them on, and said, "Now, Mr. Armey, I would like you to show me around the place."

The real estate agent nodded reluctantly and cocked the rifle he'd taken out of the boat. The guide did the same thing, and they both made their way up the beach to where Squall stood waiting.

He really only wanted a quick look around to see if what the prospectus had told him was completely accurate. It was undeveloped of course, largely due to the high population of very dangerous, non-native species that had taken up residence there since the last Lunar Cry. A complete catalogue of the various types of monsters that had been found there was unavailable, likely again due to the danger.

No matter. He already had more than a few ideas of how to deal with them. As far as development went…Well, there was solar and wind for electricity, wood for heat, septic for sanitation...Water was a concern until he confirmed that there were at least two springs, and once things were settled on the question of the fauna, perhaps wells could be found and dug.

Getting in and out presented a challenge as well, but Squall actually liked sailing and had always wanted a boat. There was an area on the northern side of the island that was a sheltered cove, which could easily be converted to a marina. And there was enough space on the island, it was better than ten kilometers end to end, to construct a private airport/helipad.

It represented a considerable investment. In terms of time, money and energy to make the place safe and habitable…and it occurred to him that Rinoa might not _want_ to live on an island an hour's sail off the coast of Galbadia… The thought brought him up short. How had she even figured into his plans?

Because he was thinking long term, and he wanted her _there_ , with him, that's how.

Then he decided it didn't matter. Even if she hated the idea of living on a remote island in the middle of nowhere, it was still a sound investment. Hell, he could probably turn it into a big-game hunter's paradise with little to no effort. He personally knew more than a few adventurers that would be hot for the trophies that he'd glimpsed.

He toyed with that idea a bit, liking it. It had possibilities, very _good_ possibilities; not the least of which would be that people would be _paying_ him for the privilege of taking care of the monster problem on the island.

The island was beautiful, more than enough of a lure in itself. White-sand beaches and turquoise waters; it had a mountain dead center, obviously an extinct volcano, from which springs flowed into a small river that became a waterfall splashing into a secluded pool. It gave him a sudden vision of himself and Rinoa enjoying the pool and the secluded beauty of the quiet green glade wherein it resided. He swallowed and tried to moisten his suddenly dry mouth as the image took an erotic turn. Gods, he missed her!

The tour had to be cut short though after a few too many close calls. Squall dealt with them of course, but he wasn't interested in testing himself this time around, so didn't argue when the guide and the agent both urged him to pack it in and leave.

"So? What do you think Mr. Leonhart?" The agent asked as the guide fired up the engine of their little skiff once they'd gotten clear of the breakers.

Glancing back at the island, Squall commented, "It has possibilities, but the asking price is too high. It'll take twice that to make it even close to habitable."

The agent frowned, "But the location is prime! An hour tops, to the mainland by boat! And you can't argue that the place is beautiful! And the climate is perfect!"

"True," Squall agreed, secretly enjoying the chance to dicker with the man. "But the constant danger to life and limb, until I've hired enough hunters to help me with the monsters, outweigh it."

The guide spoke up from his spot at the stern of the boat, asking, "Do you mean to _live_ there? _Alone_?"

Squall glanced over at the man and nodded, "I do mean to live there, eventually, but not alone." Returning his attention to the agent, he added, "I'd have to be starting from scratch here as there is no development whatsoever. So I'll have to bring in my own infrastructure before I can even begin construction."

The real estate agent looked both crestfallen and disappointed, saying pointedly "You know Mr. Leonhart, I thought you were the rugged type that would thrive on such a challenge as this. Certainly you had a reputation for being a tough guy when you were a SeeD…"

"I still am. I'm also smart enough to make Commander at eighteen and quit before I get killed." He fixed the agent with a bland look, letting the man know that he wasn't impressed with this dig at his vanity. "Five hundred thousand."

"Bu…But that's less than _half_ …" The real estate agent protested. Squall simply waited for his counter offer. He almost scoffed when it came. "Million and two."

"Five hundred fifty thousand." Squall replied.

"Million even. The land area alone is worth that, even undeveloped." The agent, Mr. Armey said.

"You weren't able to properly survey it. No mineral or ground water assays were completed. I'll have to do it myself and pay someone for the trouble. Six-hundred thousand." Squall stated.

"Nine-hundred thousand." Mr. Army countered.

Squall frowned and shook his head, "Six-fifty."

"Eight-seventy five."

The guide watched them both in fascination as they haggled over the price of the island. As they drew closer to the mainland, they appeared to reach an impasse, with Squall standing firm at seven hundred thousand and Mr. Armey unwilling to go lower than eight.

Finally Squall said firmly, "Seven hundred fifty thousand. It's already waiting in an escrow account. But I get all mineral rights along with the deed."

That brought the agent up short and he asked in confusion, "Why would you want _mineral rights_? You're not going to _mine_ there!"

Squall shrugged, "No actual geological studies were ever done. I just want to be sure I can keep whatever I find. Not likely that there'll be anything interesting there though."

Mr. Armey considered that. The island had been listed for a long time, its beautiful scenery, location and climate offset by the unfortunate infestation of monsters that nobody had felt equipped to handle. More than one investor had passed on it, unwilling to lay out the money necessary to protect any workers that would have to be brought in to develop the land. It had the potential for a lovely resort, or even private residence, if the monsters could be dealt with.

Obviously, this former SeeD felt up to the task. Perhaps that was what was needed; a young, strong, vigorous man with an equal amount of guts and brains who had both the skill and the intelligence to pull off…whatever it was he intended to do with the island.

And even at just over half of the asking price of the island, the fact that it was sold and off the books….and out of his hair….was an immense relief to him.

They were just pulling up to the guide's slip at Deling City's waterfront when he finally said, "All right then. Done. Meet me in my office tomorrow morning and we'll finalize the paperwork." He stuck his hand out to shake on the deal. The young man hesitated briefly, then gripped his hand and shook it firmly.

"Thank you Mr. Armey. Call my cell phone if anything changes before we meet tomorrow. I'll call my bank directly and inform them of the pending sale and the price." Squall said, stepping out of the boat.

"Thank you Mr. Leonhart. I'll see you in the morning then." The real estate agent said.

Squall nodded and strode off, making for the parking area and the rental car that he'd obtained upon landing in Deling City that morning. He rotated his neck, feeling the fatigue of a long flight and a rather strenuous traipse through jungle beginning to settle into an aching knot there. The neck popped and cracked as he did, and the pressure eased a bit as he reached the car.

He shrugged off Lion Heart and the rest of his gear, laying it in the backseat along with his duffel. He'd come straight from the airport that morning to meet the agent and take a look at the island. He hadn't even had a chance to talk with Rinoa and let her know that he was in town. Well, he hoped she liked surprises….

Slamming the back door shut, he got into the front seat of the car and leaned back into the seat for a moment, sighing. Closing his eyes for a moment, he scrubbed his hands over his face and into his hair, doing his best to shake off his exhaustion for long enough to get to Rinoa's place. Then he started the car and drove out of the marina parking lot.

* * *

Rinoa was just sitting down with a glass of wine to relax and wondering if it was about time for Squall to call her when she heard a knock at the door. Setting her glass aside, she got up and answered, completely stunned into speechlessness at seeing Squall on the other side.

"I'm sorry I didn't call but honestly, I wasn't even sure I'd have the time to stop by…" He began, only to be physically yanked inside, then backed into the door as Rinoa threw herself on him and kissed him senseless.

Then he could think of nothing else but the woman in his arms, and getting her into bed as quickly as possible. Rinoa appeared to be in a like frame of mind, if her gasping whispers between kisses were any indication as she tugged him toward her bedroom.

"Oh my gods! You're here! You're really here! Oh, I've missed you SO MUCH!" she said happily, pausing for a moment to fling her arms around him in a rib-cracking hug. Then she continued her inexorable progress toward her bedroom, towing Squall behind her.

"Me too," He began, but was unable to add anything because upon reaching the bedroom, she turned and was kissing him again. He didn't even try to stop her when she worked her hands under his shirt and pulled it off, instead mirroring her actions with his own.

"I'm sorry I didn't call," he tried again breathlessly, while nibbling at her neck.

"Don't care. You're here." she sighed, head lolling back for a moment before she attacked his pants, undoing the buckle of his belt and then his fly, dragging a growling half-moan from him when she slipped her hand inside to fondle him.

"Gods woman!" he gasped, stumbling backward as she both pushed and pulled him, pressing him back until the bed hit the back of his thighs. By this point he was achingly, mind swimmingly aroused.

Unable to endure any more, he grabbed her around the waist with a growl, turned and tossed her onto the bed, quickly kicking off his shoes and removing his pants to join her. Then he proceeded to torture her mercilessly with his lips, tongue and fingers until she was all but screaming for mercy.

When he reached for a condom, he was shocked when Rinoa stopped him, saying breathlessly, "You don't need that. I've…taken care of that."

He simply blinked at her, and said stupidly, "What?"

"I'm on birth control. So unless you've got a reason to want to use a condom still…" Rinoa said, letting her voice trail off.

"No. Gods, no." he breathed, then kissed her deeply and sheathed himself within her in a single stroke.

Rinoa moaned and clutched him to her; that first thrust nearly enough to undo her. She didn't think there would be a discernable difference in making love with him without a condom on, but there _was_. Perhaps it was the fact that she hadn't seen or touched him in nearly a month that made it seem so different. But she didn't think so. This time around, feeling him skin to skin within her as well as on top of her, threatened to transport her to a different realm entirely.

Their mutual hunger for each other, sharpened by time and distance, overrode everything and their lovemaking was hard, fast and urgent as a result. Rinoa wrapped her legs around Squall, dug her nails into his back and held on while he relentlessly stoked the passion between them. Each gasping breath; each nip, scratch, kiss, and surging thrust brought them closer to the edge. Rinoa fell first with a cry, clutching at Squall for dear life as a hard thrust pushed her there, trembling and shattering into a million pieces in his arms.

Arms and legs locked around him, nails raking down his back while in the throes of her climax, Rinoa dragged Squall with her over the edge into…heaven. He shuddered, gasped and moaned just as Rinoa did as his orgasm rocked him and he poured himself into her, heart, soul and seed, leaving him feeling spent. He collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily, dimly registering her fingers gently threading through his hair as he attempted to catch his breath and gather his scattered wits.

"I can feel your heartbeat," Rinoa whispered, still caressing his hair. She felt it thudding heavily where he rested against her, and pulsing where he was still joined with her. He slowly raised his head and gazed down at her, the expression in his eyes soft and slightly puzzled. He opened his mouth as though intending to speak then closed it with a slight frown.

Finally he shifted, withdrawing and moving off of her, prompting Rinoa to shiver in response to that separation. But unlike their previous lovemaking sessions, this time, he didn't get up and go to the bathroom immediately. Instead he rolled onto his side facing her. Rinoa followed suit and smiled at him.

Reaching out, she stroked her fingers along his cheek and under his jaw, saying on a sigh, "I can't tell you how happy I am to see you…"

Squall caught her hand in his and pressed it against his lips, kissing it while laughing softly, "No need. You did a pretty good job _showing_ me." He let her hand go and let his hand move to her hip, caressing it before moving upward and around to the small of her back, pulling her into him. Then he kissed her softly on the forehead, the tip of her nose, prompting her to smile, then finally her lips. A gentle, undemanding pressure that transmitted more emotion than Rinoa thought was possible.

When he pulled back, Rinoa asked him curiously, "is it always like this, if you're …uh, not wearing a condom?"

"I don't know," Squall answered honestly with a shrug.

"So, you've never gone…um… bareback… before?" Rinoa asked him, intrigued.

"No."

"Really? Why?"

"I'd think the answer to that would be obvious," Squall replied with one eyebrow quirked upward. "It's safer that way."

"So…This is a _first_ for you then," Rinoa observed, giving Squall a sly look.

Squall smiled slowly, then started to laugh, Rinoa's clever observation striking just the right chord with him.

His laughter subsided, though his eyes still sparkled and his lips still twitched as he replied, "Yes it is. And you were wonderfully gentle with me."

Rinoa burst out laughing and hugged him, loving the feel of his arms tightening around her in response, pressing her into his warm body. Oh, how she'd missed him! More than she'd thought possible for as short a time as they'd known each other. The fizzy upwelling of joy she felt at seeing him again was nearly impossible to contain, and so the littlest of things would bring it to the surface…like his sparkling blue eyes and twitchy smile as he made that small joke.

She snuggled into his chest with a sigh, saying, "I'm so glad you're here. How long are you staying?"

Squall sighed as well, but in regret as he answered, "Not long, I'm afraid. I've got a couple of meetings tomorrow morning early for…some business and then I've got to leave tomorrow night."

"Oh," Rinoa replied sadly, then added with a bit more enthusiasm, "We've still got tonight though, and you got here early enough that we can do dinner and…"

Squall chuckled, "You've really got a lot of faith in my abilities don't you? I might be dead to the world in the next few minutes. It was a _long_ flight getting here."

Rinoa peered up at his face then, only just noticing how tired he looked. She also noticed a slight pink cast across the bridge of his nose, forehead and cheeks, indicating that he'd been out in the sun. The tang of sea and sun added a fascinating dimension to the blend of cologne, deodorant and _him_ that made up Squall's natural scent. Rinoa laid her cheek against his chest and took a deep breath, breathing him in, and hugged him again.

"If all you feel up to later is sleep, then we'll sleep." She said, kissing him in the middle of his chest. Squall reciprocated by kissing the top of her head gently and smoothing his hand over her hair.

"All right." He replied on a sigh, feeling the fatigue that passion had momentarily driven away starting to crash down on him, heavier than before.

He was nearly asleep when Rinoa asked him, "So, what brought you here anyway? What kind of business are you doing tomorrow?"

He blinked his eyes open and tried to focus on her, cudgeling his tired brain for a coherent answer, finally mumbling, "Real estate…. stuff." Oblivion beckoned and he sank into it gratefully, leaving Rinoa to frown slightly at his vague answer as he drifted off to sleep.

_Real estate stuff?_ She wondered, trying not to get too excited about what that might imply. But…She watched him sleep for a moment, heart melting at the beautiful innocence he displayed with his features relaxed in slumber. Innocence with a healthy dose of sex, she amended mentally. That chiseled jaw line, the sensual lower lip and the coppery brown dusting of stubble on his cheeks and chin simply screamed it.

His arm was still around her, though its weight was now relaxed. His other hand rested upon his stomach, and Rinoa's gaze was drawn to it. Broad across the palm, with long, tapering fingers and a light dusting of hair on the back that she'd just noticed. Both hands were perfect examples of both elegance and strength, and wonderfully representative of the rest of Squall's body.

Her cheek still rested against his chest, and she listened to the steady beat of his heart, felt the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, and simply studied his hand. The knuckles appeared to be reddened, as though irritated or abraded. What _had_ he been doing today?

At length she had to get up; she hadn't yet had dinner, had in fact only been home from work a few minutes when Squall had shown up. And she found, much to her chagrin, that sex au naturel, while very pleasurable indeed, was also rather messy. So she dealt with the result of their interlude, then put on her terrycloth robe and left Squall sleeping in a sprawl on her bed, leaning against the doorjamb for a moment to simply drink in the sight. And feeling her heart squeeze and turn over once again.

Gods, she had it bad for the man.

Reluctantly, she turned away to do something about dinner, wondering if she should wake him when it was done. He had to be hungry; he looked as though he'd come to her apartment straight from wherever he'd gone to first.

She ended up waking him for dinner, though she felt a little hesitant about doing so until he thanked her for it when she did, telling her that he'd missed lunch. They shared a companionable meal that night, and Rinoa completely forgot to ask him about what he'd been doing, as happy as she was to simply be with him.

They talked a lot about her work and how crazy things had gotten now that the playoffs were over and the championship game, which the Bears had earned a ticket to, was just days away. And every so often, he'd smile at something she said and his eyes would sparkle just so, for _her_ …and her heart would stop, just momentarily.

They made love again that night after dinner was concluded, the dishes washed, the dog (after they'd gotten dressed, of course) walked. And he enfolded her into his arms, giving her one last, sweet kiss, before drifting off to sleep again. Rinoa spent the rest of the night cuddled in his arms, listening to his heartbeat while waiting for sleep to claim her too, wishing that he didn't have leave the next day. Wishing that he'd just….stay.

Perhaps that was what that "real estate stuff" was all about. Rinoa gave herself a mental kick at that sneaky thought. Until she had actual information to go on, that was just wishful thinking. He might have been looking at some property as an investment. He did that, though from what Rinoa had seen and had been told, it was mostly stocks that he played around with.

The next morning there was no time for more lovemaking, something they both very much regretted. And Squall had to leave for his appointment after breakfast, coffee, a loving kiss and a promise to call later when he'd landed back in Esthar.

"Have a good day at work," he murmured into her hair.

"You too with whatever you're doing…what _is_ this 'real estate stuff' you mumbled about last night anyway?" Rinoa asked him curiously.

He sighed and kissed the top of her head, then bent down and stole another kiss from her lips, before answering, "I'll tell you if it all comes off like I plan. I don't have time to get into it right now though."

Rinoa stole a glance at her watch and grimaced, "Neither do I. I'd better go."

"Yeah, me too." He replied. He stepped away and picked up his duffel bag, slinging it over his shoulder, and headed for the door. Rinoa too gathered her things, intending to leave for work as well, and followed him.

He walked with her to her car, and she smiled as she looked back at him, heart melting at the for once completely unguarded expression on his face as he watched her prepare to leave. It was obvious that he didn't want to say good-bye to _her_ any more than she wanted to say good-bye to _him_. It was also apparent that he hadn't yet worked out how to articulate what he felt. So despite her heart's urging, Rinoa remained silent and simply smiled at him, while mentally telling him over and over, _I love you._

Finally, Squall said, "Drive safely. I…" he paused, realizing he was about to repeat himself.

Rinoa laughed softly, "I know. You'll call."

"Right," He smiled, a trifle sadly, and added, "I'll miss you."

"Then come back soon." Rinoa said.

He nodded. "I will. I promise." He lifted his hand in a final farewell as she got in and started the engine, then started walking toward his rental car.

* * *

"So. You call me up out of the blue after what? Two years? And ask me if I'd be willing to kill a few monsters for you. And you just blithely assume I'd be all gung-ho about doin' it. For free." The rangy young man sitting across from Squall snorted and leaned back in the booth they shared and then picked up his beer and took a long drink.

"Hey, I bought you the beer, didn't I?" Squall said, taking a drink of his own.

"True. But that still don't excuse the fact that you pretty much left all of us with barely a wave good-bye." The young man set his beer down and speared Squall with a piercing blue-eyed glare. "You owe me at least an explanation."

"I'm sorry, Irvine. I did what I had to do and there wasn't any _time_ for me to explain." Squall said.

"A phone call might have been nice. I thought we were friends. Hell, brothers even. Isn't that what you call someone you grew up with that's saved your ass more than once?" Irvine folded his arms over his chest and waited.

Squall rolled his eyes, "are you done with the guilt tripping? Because I swear you're beginning to sound like Zell's mom. Look, I couldn't tell anyone right away what was going on because, well…I…I just couldn't, okay?"

"Yeah, well I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. This _is_ you we're talking about." Irvine said with a smirk. "Gonna tell me now? All I got was that you had to do something in Esthar that was so important that you needed to leave SeeD to do it. By the way, Cid hasn't retired your commission yet. It's still yours, rank, position and everything, if you still want it."

"I don't," Squall said firmly, prompting Irvine to raise his eyebrows in surprise. "To answer your question Irvine, I had to leave because I found Ellone. And she was dying. I had no time to come back here and give everyone chapter and verse on that story because I didn't know how much time with her I'd have. She needed medical treatment that she could not afford any longer and I could, so I gave her everything I had and was happy to."

Irvine went silent at this and swallowed, then asked tentatively, "Is…is she…?"

"She's fine, thank Hyne. The treatments worked and she's in remission." Squall answered him, then added, "But that's not why I called you."

"I know why you called me, just wondering about the reasoning behind it." Irvine said.

"I bought an island." Squall informed him.

Irvine simply stared. "Wait. Did I just hear you right? You bought an _island_?"

"Yes. Eden Island. It's in the Rhem Archipelago, near The Island Closest to Hell. It's beautiful, but completely overrun with monsters. I need help killing them off." Squall explained.

Irvine tilted his head to the side and studied Squall closely, then asked simply, "Why?"

"Why do you think?" Squall countered. "I want to be able to go there without having to worry about being eaten by something."

"Oh. Well, that makes sense I guess. What are you going to do with it? Make it a vacation retreat or something? Might not want to kill off _all_ the monsters, if so. It'd be kind of fun to just go out and hunt for the Hell of it." Irvine said.

"I'd been considering that, or something similar. But we need to at least cut the numbers down enough that I can get things rolling on development. People tend not to want to go to places where monsters pop up frequently, and that includes contractors, surveyors, geologists and the like." Squall replied.

"Huh. You've really put a lot of thought into this, haven't you?" Irvine asked him, intrigued at the change that two years had wrought in his friend.

"Yes." Squall answered simply.

Making a decision, Irvine put his hand out, "All right. I'm in. 'course, if you ain't payin' me, I get to keep whatever stuff I find there, trophies and all."

"I never said I wasn't going to _pay_ you," Squall protested, while reaching out and taking Irvine's hand, shaking it.

"You never mentioned money. That's usually the first thing you do when you're negotiating for a job." Irvine stated, drawing his hand back and folding his arms across his chest.

"This isn't a job. It's a partnership. You throw in, and you get a stake in it. Yeah, you can keep whatever you find of worth there, as long as you tell me where you've found it. Keep whatever trophies you want, I'm fine with that too. I don't plan on mining or tearing the place up at all, but if you find a beach full of raw diamonds, I'd appreciate knowing." Squall said, smirking slightly. Irvine snorted in response.

"You gonna help?" Irvine asked him.

"Of course. As much as I can. I have to finalize a few things in Esthar and get things rolling here but I'll be out there as often as possible. I gave you my cell number so call me if there are any problems. I'll pony up for supplies and ammo, and any backup you need." Squall answered him.

"One more question: You want to bring Zell in on this too?" Irvine asked.

Squall hesitated, "I don't know. He seems pretty happy with his life; I don't want to mess with that…"

Irvine snorted, "He'd be insulted if you didn't at least ask, even if he does decide to say 'no'. Personally, I think he'd like the chance to get out there and tear some shit up. After what he's into as a SeeD, even the MMA circuit is tame stuff."

"Is he doing it full time now? I thought he was still an active SeeD." Squall asked.

"No, he's still a SeeD. He just does the MMA thing to blow off steam, I think. He gets bored easily." Irvine said with a shrug, then added, "and nobody wants to spar with him. Too brutal, they say. I think they're just tired of getting their asses handed to them."

Squall snorted, "It always was hard to keep him occupied. I'm not surprised he's getting into professional fighting; he's good enough to go pro if he wants to leave SeeD."

"You can only do that for so long though," Irvine said with a slight frown.

Squall frowned as well, wondering at Irvine's comment. Had something happened to Zell? One of their other friends? His frown deepened. He'd tried to forget everything he'd left behind in Balamb when he'd left Garden… even those he'd considered friends.

There was no real reason for it; he knew they'd have respected his decision to leave if he'd explained it to them. But he'd never been good at explaining himself, especially not since he'd made commander. He gave orders, and they were obeyed. And unfortunately, as part of the burden of command, he'd had to distance himself from his friends. It had made it easy to simply walk away, when he found the need to do so. The only person he'd told was Cid.

He felt slightly ashamed of himself for not at least sending an email out to Irvine, Zell, and Cid, letting them know he was okay. _Better than okay,_ he thought, remembering Rinoa's enthusiastic, ardent welcome the previous night.

"I'll give Zell a call tonight," Irvine said, drawing Squall's attention back to him. "When are you leaving?"

"I'm flying back to Esthar this evening." Squall answered.

"Remember me to Sis. Zell too. He'll be glad to know you finally found her." Irvine said, draining the last of his beer.

"I will." Squall said, checking his watch. It was nearly time for him to head to the airport.

"When do you want to start on this, anyway?" Irvine asked him.

"As soon as possible. Here," Squall said, handing Irvine a sheaf of papers. "Map and coordinates of the place. The name and phone number of the guide the real estate agent hired to get us there is on the info sheet, along with some other useful numbers. Mine included, though I have to tell you that there is NO phone service, cellular or otherwise on the island. Radio only. At least for now."

"Well, if you're gonna foot the bill for supply…" Irvine said.

Squall grimaced, "Give me some warning and I'll open an account with an outfitter. So call me when you want to go out there. Hopefully by then I'll be able to help."

"Okay, I know this is a rather personal question but…how the hell are you managing this? I mean, I know you didn't make chump change as Commander but you just said that you threw it all on Sis's treatments. How are you even doing this?" Irvine asked him, curiously.

"Well, as it turns out, I've got a knack for investing and the job I'm doing now pays pretty well. Plus I took on some side work to earn back what I spent. So yeah, I _can_ afford to do this." Squall answered.

"Well, I'm impressed. Maybe you can give me some pointers." Irvine replied.

Squall snorted, "here's one: try saving your money instead of blowing it on expensive hookers and cheap beer."

"That beer was _not_ cheap!" Irvine protested.

"Well that hooker sure cost you a mint," Squall retorted.

Irvine grinned rakishly at that and said, "Yeah, and she was worth every gil!"

Squall rolled his eyes at this, "well at least you feel like you got your money's worth."

"Damn strait! Too bad you wouldn't join us. She told me later she'd have given half the fee back if you had." Irvine said, still grinning at Squall, who simply sighed and shook his head. Irvine felt a small start of surprise at this. Two years ago, Squall would have turned beet red and stiffly said something Commander-like.

He knew Squall hadn't been a virgin then; while his Commander's liaisons had been brief and as discrete as possible, they _had_ occurred on occasion. He was just so intensely private a person that getting him to discus _anything_ of a personal nature outside of work was close to impossible. So Irvine had really had no idea how the invitation, offered by the young woman that he'd engaged for the evening, would have been received by Squall. It had come as no surprise to him that his commander was sufficiently uptight as to be unwilling to…broaden his horizons…in a manner of speaking.

Interestingly enough, that no longer appeared to be the case, a possibility that intrigued Irvine. Unfortunately, there was no more time to broach that subject, even if Squall had been in a sufficiently expansive frame of mind as to actually be willing to discus it. Irvine filed the exchange in the back of his mind until the next time he and Squall had some time and a pint or two under their belts. Squall held his liquor pretty well, but they both knew that Irvine could drink him under the table any day of the week. If he could get Squall lubricated enough as to be _chatty_ …well he might learn a bit more about what his friend and former commander had been up to over the last two years.

Squall was a canny bird, but it was worth a try, anyway.

Glancing at his watch again, Squall said, "I'd better head to the airport. I need to return my rental car and check in."

"All right. Well, thanks for the beer, and if you don't mind, I'm gonna forward your contact information to Zell." Irvine said.

Squall nodded, "I don't mind. I'll let you know when I've got the outfitter's account set up and where it is."

As Squall got ready to leave, Irvine leaned forward and put his hand out, saying, "It was good seeing you again. Have a save flight, brother."

Squall paused and swallowed a sudden lump, touched. It really _had_ been far too easy to walk away. From his friends, colleagues, SeeD…Far too easy lock down and set aside his feelings. It made him wonder sometimes if he was capable of feeling _anything_ at all…. until he thought of Rinoa. And just like that…he felt…. _everything_.

Reaching out, he took Irvine's hand and squeezed it firmly, shaking it and saying, "It was good seeing you too."

As he got up to leave, Irvine added, "Don't be a stranger."

Squall nodded, "I won't."

Then he walked out of the bar and drove to the airport. The long flight back gave him more than enough time to think. Time enough to decide upon the next step down the pathway he'd decided to walk. Of course, upon arrival back in Esthar, the only thing that he could do right at that moment (after calling Rinoa as promised to reassure her of his safe arrival) was sleep. But on his first full day back from work, he went to Marti and put in his notice. It was time for him to move on.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! another chapter done! and more to come! Been plugging steadily along with this along with my other stories (though Queen..ok, it's inadvertently been on hiatus...I'll try to pick up on it along with everything else as well..). Still working on my art projects as well..and having alot of fun with it. Aside from having alot to do and not enough time to do it, I'm doing pretty well...though my Twitter addiction DOES eat up a good portion of my time. BUT, I will persevere and once i finish my in progress works..will hopefully be able to get started on working with Ashbear to finish SIB. Here's hoping anyway!


	17. Chapter 17

"I still can't believe you're quitting. Just like that." Eric said, leaning against the doorframe to Squall's office.

"It was time to move on. I never said I was going to stay here forever." Squall said, adding another item to the box he was packing up. He scanned the desk and frowned slightly at how empty the box still appeared. Two years in this office and he'd never had any real personal mementos on his desk. Not even a picture of Ellone.

Looking over at Eric, he picked up the box, saying, "That's why I picked you as my second, you know. I needed someone I could count on and you're it."

The man sighed, "I appreciate your confidence Squall, I really do. But…"

"You can handle this. You've done really well these last few weeks. I've been watching." Squall told him.

Eric squinted his green eyes at Squall and said shrewdly, "There's a girl involved, isn't there?"

Squall froze. Had he been _that_ obvious? Then he kicked himself mentally. Why hide it when there was no reason to?

"What makes you say that?" He asked Eric curiously.

"You've been…different. Ever since that night you got hurt. I know you were with someone then. And suddenly you're flying to Galbadia on a moment's notice, taking yourself off the concierge list, now you're quitting entirely. I could be wrong but it looks to me like you'd gone and broken the cardinal rule of concierges and fallen for your client." The man answered, studying him closely.

"She wasn't a client. Not technically. I refunded her fee." Squall said. Eric raised his eyebrows in surprise at this bit of information.

"But you _are_ doing this because of her, aren't you?" Eric pressed.

"Partly. Sooner or later Eric, I would have wanted to move on anyway, but she just gave me another reason to do it." Squall admitted.

Suddenly, a slow grin spread over Eric's face, and then he started to laugh, "I can't believe it! You're actually human after all!"

Squall smirked slightly and said, "surprise." Eric roared his approval at that.

It was several minutes before he could speak, and there was much wiping of mirthful tears as he said, "Well, look man, I'm happy for you. It's about damn time. Listen, if you two ever get as far as the altar, don't forget to send an invite my way, will you?"

"I will." Squall assured him.

Eric tilted his head at that, raking his hand through his tousled shock of red-blond hair, and marveled, "You didn't even flinch at that. That means you've been thinking about it, haven't you?"

"I have been, yes. But we've both got a ways to go before we actually get there. _If_ we do." Squall answered, realizing several momentous things as he did.

"Well, good luck then," Eric said, putting his hand out. Squall shifted the box in his arms to free one of his hands, and shook Eric's.

The other man had to step into the office so that Squall, burdened as he was with the box in his arms, could get through. As he stepped through the doorway, he turned and looked back once.

A slight smile quirked the corners of his lips as he said to the man taking his place, "Good luck to you too. It's all yours, Eric."

* * *

It took some time for Squall to dismantle the life he'd had in Esthar, far more time than he'd thought it would. He found that he had more belongings than he'd thought, and didn't want to burden Ellone with storing it while he got settled in Galbadia.

There was a lot to do, he mused, taping closed yet another box of items and identifying the contents with a permanent marker. He'd already engaged the services of a shipper to get everything delivered to the storage locker he'd rented in Deling City until he found a place to live.

_Not_ with Rinoa. Not yet. Spending a week with her on a quasi vacation or a weekend or two was one thing but actually _living_ there? That was quite another. Not just on _his_ end of things either…he didn't know if she'd even be comfortable with that sort of situation. What little he knew of her history…and it surprised him to realize exactly _how_ little it was…led him to believe that she might _not_ be. At least not at this stage of their relationship.

More than anything, he wanted their relationship to progress at its own pace, and didn't want anything that he had going on, be it work, money or his temporary homelessness, to impact it in any way.

That was why he was still a little apprehensive about telling her about the island and about his plans regarding it. He knew he'd been dragging his feet over it, and he knew she was curious about what he was doing. He didn't mean to be secretive but…he also wasn't terribly good about revealing something as personal as the realization of one of his most cherished dreams. The beginning of it, anyway.

He also hadn't told her of his plans to move to Deling City; that was something that he planned to do as soon as he'd finished with his packing.

He looked up from his task at a knock on his door. It was probably Ellone.

"Come in, the door's open." He called out, continuing with his packing and taping.

"Well, this is a switch. I remember when you kept your door locked and answered it with a gun behind your back." Ellone said, walking in with a smile.

"Yeah, well… in case you haven't noticed, its actually pretty safe here. Plus, I don't have people trying to kill me anymore." Squall replied.

"And I'm very glad of it," she said.

"Me too," Squall said, setting the box aside that he'd just taped and tagged, and reaching for another one.

"When do you fly out to Deling City?" Ellone asked him, picking up a wineglass and wrapping it in packing paper.

"Tomorrow afternoon. This is all being shipped off tomorrow morning." He answered, checking the box for sturdiness before carefully placing into it the dishware he'd wrapped up. There wasn't all that much really, though still more than he'd thought initially. He'd somehow come into possession of an exquisite setting of fine porcelain, and for a moment couldn't remember why he'd have such a thing.

"You know, two years ago I'd never thought that you'd be the sort of person to collect crystal stemware, silver flatware or porcelain table settings. Nor that you'd have such good taste and class." Ellone commented, wrapping up a fluted champagne glass.

Squall snorted, "Most of this came about because of the concierge job. Porcelain, crystal and silver set a better scene than plastic. And the 'class' part came from my SeeD training. Had to be able to blend in to any situation, regardless of where it might be."

"Whether it be a palace or a dive bar on the docks, huh?" Ellone asked him.

"Exactly," Squall confirmed. They continued packing in silence, with Squall making sure that the fragile stemware was properly tucked away in box set aside specifically for them, complete with the foam packing peanuts to provide additional cushion.

"So, what are you going to do first when you get to Deling City?" Ellone asked him as he taped the filled boxes shut and labeled them.

"Sleep, probably." He answered.

"You know what I mean." Ellone said, rolling her eyes and prompting him to chuckle.

Relenting, he said, "Buy a boat. I'll need a way to get to and from the island."

Ellone smiled at that and commented, "What kind of boat do you want? Do you know how to sail?"

"Doesn't have to be a sailboat, but that's actually what I'm thinking of getting. I told you, didn't I, that I'd worked on a lobster trawler for a bit in Trabia?" Squall asked her.

"Oh, yeah, I remember you telling me about that while I was doing chemo, to take my mind off how sick I felt." Ellone said, adding, "I could almost feel the icy chill of the Trabian Sea, the way you described it for me. I thought you hated working the lobster boat though."

Squall grimaced, "I did, actually. The work itself was grueling. But being on the boat, that wasn't so bad. Got to be a pretty good sailor by the time I finished my assignment too."

"Yeah, but wasn't the trawler diesel powered? Sailing is a completely different thing you know." Ellone said.

Squall shrugged and got up to get another box, gazing around his kitchen with a frown before replying, "I know. But I'll learn."

Setting the box on the countertop, he proceeded to pack away the remaining contents of his cupboards, then adding, "the island isn't that far from the Galbadian coast, and if I get a big enough boat, I might just live there while I'm working on clearing out the monsters and getting the ball rolling on construction."

Ellone smiled happily, "You're really doing this, aren't you? I'm so glad you've finally decided to follow your dreams instead of hovering over me."

Squall paused and frowned, "I wasn't…"

"Yes, you were. And I can't actually blame you, not after having been separated from me for so long. You know, for awhile there, I was starting to worry that you didn't _have_ any dreams to follow and you were just…I don't know… _existing_. I'm so glad you remembered them. And I'm glad you've finally found someone you can share them with besides me." Ellone said gently.

"I haven't told her yet. About the island I mean." Squall murmured in a low voice.

"Why?" Ellone asked curiously.

"I don't know, it's…not ready. I want to be able to take her there and show her everything and not have to worry about her getting hurt. I want to have a… a place, a _home_ …ready …" his voice trailed off and he swallowed, then raked his fingers through his hair and whispered to himself, "Gods, what's wrong with me?" _Why did this mean so much to him?_

"You're in love with her." Ellone said, smiling.

Squall stared at her for a moment, frowning slightly. "I don't know _what_ I'm feeling..."

Ellone raised an eyebrow and asked him, "What do you miss most about Rinoa?"

Without thinking, he answered softly, "Her smile. The way it makes me feel…warm… inside." Unconsciously, placed his hand on his chest, over his heart.

"You miss her smile. You miss how you feel when you're with her, not what she looks like or how good she is in bed. You miss _her_." Ellone declared.

"Yes."

" _That_ , my dear brother, is _love_."

* * *

Rinoa waited anxiously in the airport, checking her watch for the millionth time. Squall's plane was set to arrive within the hour, and as the weather had been nice, was very likely on time. So she had no reason to worry, and there were several minutes yet before the plane actually touched down.

She still couldn't wait. She was always excited to see him, and he'd said, rather cagily she thought, that he had some news to tell her.

It was sometimes frustrating for her to see him opening up but so, so slowly. She knew that part of his reticence was just his nature, and part was a learned habit from being trained as a SeeD. Personal information was something to be revealed very carefully or not at all, depending upon the situation…especially something as personal as one's hopes and dreams.

But his mumbled comment of nearly a month ago about his doing "Real Estate stuff" and his just slightly hesitant, awkward manner when he'd mentioned having something to tell her made her wonder what he was up to. She didn't want to get her hopes up but she couldn't help daydreaming hopefully about him moving to Galbadia permanently and seeing him _every day_ …

It was tough, seeing him so infrequently. Once a month, twice, if she was lucky… since his weeklong visit in March, he'd only been back a handful of times. Now it was nearly June, three months since they'd met in Esthar...and she barely knew any more about him now than when she'd first met him. That mystery was both maddening and intriguing.

But he kept coming back and this time, she had a deeply held, secret hope that he was coming back to stay.

_"Flight 209 arriving gate sixteen from Esthar …"_

The announcement from the PA echoed throughout the terminal and Rinoa felt a surge of joy. She watched the gate eagerly, waiting for him to come walking out of the jetway. She wanted to kiss him silly, first thing. Then hug him tight. And then kiss him again. The time it took for the jet to land and taxi to the gate and for the passengers to start trickling, and then streaming into the terminal felt like forever to Rinoa.

And then…. he was there, striding into the terminal, looking around, duffel slung over his shoulder. Looking for her. She took a moment to let the joy of seeing him seep into her being. His hair looked as though it had gotten longer; had probably forgotten to get that haircut he'd talked about getting last week. The white tee shirt and faded denim jeans, while very basic clothing items, somehow looked so good on him that Rinoa noticed more than one woman staring.

She wanted to be in his arms in the worst way, right that minute.

So thinking, she started walking toward him, calling out, "Squall!"

He turned around and saw her, and the smile that lit up his face nearly stopped her heart. She didn't remember taking the last few steps that brought her into his embrace, she only remembered his arms wrapping around her and holding her close. She pressed her ear against his chest, listened to his heartbeat and closed her eyes, basking in his warmth, in the feel of his solid strength, never wanting it to end.

Squall simply closed his eyes and rested his chin lightly against her hair, breathing in its sweet scent. Light, clean and fresh it was, with a hint of rose and jasmine, it brought to mind the garden where they'd kissed, back in Esthar.

"I've missed you," he whispered into it, kissing it lightly.

Rinoa pulled back and gazed into his face, smiling, and replied, "I've missed you too. I'm glad you're here."

"Me too," he said, sending a thrill up her spine at the blatant hunger in his eyes. Then he dipped his head and took her lips in a brief, warm kiss. Brief, but still lingering, and sweet enough for Rinoa's heart to ache for more.

She laced her fingers through his and walked with him toward the luggage carousel, asking, "How long are you staying this time?"

He shot her a sidelong glance but was slow in answering, slow enough that Rinoa began to worry.

Finally he said, "As long as you want me to."

She walked a few strides in silence as that sunk in, then stopped dead. Squall continued for another couple of strides until a slight tug from her hand stopped him too. He turned and watched her, expression suddenly difficult to decipher.

Suddenly breathless, she asked, "Does…this mean you're here to stay?"

"Yes." He answered, and took an… _almost_ …shaky breath to add, " I meant to tell you, when I called last night but…" he gave a sudden, quietly embarrassed laugh, "You know I actually forgot?"

Rinoa suddenly laughed, and at the same time was mortified at the sudden sting of tears in her eyes. She wanted to laugh and cry and burst open with joy all at once, but the sudden expression of consternation on Squall's face convinced her to temper her enthusiasm. No way would he be prepared for _that_ just yet.

She wanted to wrap her arms around him and hug him so hard his ribs cracked.

Instead, she said, rather proud that her voice barely shook, "Must have been too busy packing."

He smiled slightly at that and said, "Yeah, there is that. Although Elle helped me out with that part. There wasn't all that much really, once you get right down to it."

Biting her lip, Rinoa asked, "Have you…do you have a place to stay?"

Squall paused and asked delicately, "Do I need one? I mean, I can stay with you for a bit if you want, while I sort out my living situation, but I don't want to…I don't know…." He paused and raked his fingers through his hair in frustration as he searched for the right words. Sighing deeply, he continued, "I want this.. _Us_ … to start off on the right footing. I don't want to get ahead of things, do you understand? I still want to see you and I'll stay with you for a few days while I'm working things out …But I need my own space while I'm getting established here."

Rinoa smiled, "Yeah, I think I understand. Well, you're welcome to stay as long as you need to."

Smiling back, Squall asked her, "Maybe you'll even help me find a place to live?"

"I would love to." Rinoa answered, smile broadening. Then she sighed, "You have no idea how happy I am that you're here for good!"

Laughing slightly, Squall turned and they continued toward the luggage carousel, "You may rethink that, now that I'm homeless and unemployed. I'll be around all the time. You'll get sick of me, I'm sure."

Squeezing his hand firmly, Rinoa declared, "Never."

Squall glanced over at her and gave her another small smile, and Rinoa suddenly felt as though she'd float away from happiness. That feeling persisted even as they retrieved all of Squall's luggage, of which there was far more than on previous visits. So much so that he'd had to engage a cart to carry it, and was obliged to wait outside the terminal while Rinoa retrieved her car from where she'd parked it, to pick him up.

As they drove away from the airport, Rinoa commented, "Well, if you hadn't just told me you were back for good, all this luggage would have clued me in. I had _no idea_ you had this much stuff!"

"Neither did I, actually," Squall said ruefully, prompting her to laugh softly. "I've got more being shipped. Should be here in a few days."

"Oh! How much? I'll have to see where I can put it…" Rinoa began, Squall interrupted her gently, "don't worry. It's being put into storage for the time being."

"Good," Rinoa said on a relieved breath. "So, what do you want to do first? Have anything in mind for a place to live?"

"Yes. Do you have to work tomorrow?" Squall asked.

"Actually, no. You want to go house hunting then?"

Rinoa responded curiously.

"Well, that's on the list. But what I'd like to do first is buy a boat." Squall answered her.

Rinoa frowned, confused. "A boat? Shouldn't you be looking for a house or something?"

"Well, I could, but I'd rather look for a boat first. If I find what I'm looking for, I can simply live on the boat at the marina." He answered her.

"Okay…but why?" she asked.

Squall gave her a small, enigmatic smile and said simply, "I'll explain it all to you later."

Rinoa rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation, "there you go, being all mysterious again."

"I _will_ explain it, I promise. I just want to get settled first. Hopefully it'll all make sense to you." Squall assured her.

"All right," Rinoa replied. She would let him get settled and hopefully able to talk about his plans…before the jet lag kicked in.

The idea of him wanting to buy a boat first intrigued her. Certainly, she wouldn't have expected him to want to live on a boat rather than in a house or an apartment, but then there were a lot of things that surprised her about him. She was looking forward to discovering more of those interesting little quirks and mysteries that he had.

And she absolutely could not _wait_ to give him a _proper_ welcome home. An early bedtime in deference to his jetlag would be a small price to pay for that. They arrived at Rinoa's apartment in short order, with her wordlessly grabbing a couple of pieces of his luggage over his protests.

"We'll be all night doing this if it's just you lugging all this up. I have plans for you that don't include you passing out from jetlag the minute your head hits the pillow." She said firmly, smiling at his raised eyebrows and soft laugh.

"Well, I'll do my best to remain awake then. Wouldn't do to sleep through the best part, would it?" he asked.

"You haven't yet, though it came close a time or two…I always managed to get you up though." She said smugly, prompting him to laugh harder.

"Doesn't take much," he replied, giving her a warm look. "All you have to do is smile. That _always_ works."

Rinoa snorted at that and turned her attention to the door, setting the cases down and rummaging through her purse for her key, then opening the door and carrying the cases into the apartment and back into the bedroom. Angelo barked and whined a greeting, her claws ticking away as she pranced happily, bobtailed rear-end waggling madly.

Squall paused on his way out the door again for another set of cases to kneel down and scratch behind the dog's ears, turning his face aside slightly as she reached up to lick his face. He stood up after a final pat and continued with Rinoa, retrieving the remaining luggage.

Once everything had been brought in and before Squall could get started with unpacking, Rinoa stopped him with the simple act of kissing him.

"Unpack later," she said softly.

Squall's arms crept around her waist of their own volition, and he pulled her close and kissed her deeply. He knew what she had in mind and was in perfect agreement.

"Later then." He whispered.

Perhaps it was his own perception; the knowledge that he now had a name for what he felt. For what burned inside of him and changed…everything… From the way that he laid her back onto her bed, to the kisses that he couldn't seem to get enough of, every moment now contained a richness that Squall had never experienced before. It seemed that in acknowledging, at least to himself, that he loved her, he had opened himself up to more. Far more than he had ever imagined.

It colored their lovemaking and was communicated by his every kiss and caress. Even if he hadn't yet found the words to speak of it, to let Rinoa know how he felt about her, his actions spoke for him. He made himself a promise then, that he'd do his damnedest to make sure that she _always_ felt loved.

_What are you doing, making promises like that? Even to yourself? Next thing you know, you'll be promising her the moon and the stars…_ he thought. _And why not? You've already bought an island for her…._

Not _just_ for her, for himself too…but _she_ was the catalyst that had spurred him on to that action, unknown by both her and him.

When she cried out his name on a gasp, when he came as well, pouring his seed along with his heart and soul into her, the only thing that was in his mind was _I love you._ But he didn't say it. He couldn't. It was too raw, too powerful, and too new…and it bound his tongue and left him silent.

Instead, he held her like she was the most precious thing in his life, _because she was…_ and kissed her gently, caressing her hair. And he dropped his mask, and let her _see_ …

For her part, Rinoa at first didn't notice a difference in their lovemaking because it had been two weeks since they were last together, and their hunger for each other had held sway. But afterward, as they lay together, sharing soft kisses and gentle caresses, something in his expression, in his eyes…made her heart skip.

The way he held her, touched her, as though he didn't want to let go or be parted from her for even a moment, made her wonder if maybe he felt the same way about her that she did about him. She couldn't ask him, she didn't dare to declare herself to him. It wasn't time yet for them to get to those deep truths. So instead she treasured the moment, the soft, gentle look in his eyes, and let it be.

Cuddled close against his side, she pillowed her head on his chest and stroked her fingers down his sweat-damp chest. Just lying in his arms was the most wonderful feeling in the world, and she wished it could go on forever. But of course, it couldn't.

"Why did you want to buy a boat?" She asked him.

"To sail." He answered.

Rinoa snorted, "I didn't ask what you wanted to _do_ with it. I already know that. I'm just curious why a boat and not a house or a car or something?"

Squall fell silent and then sighed; _it's now or never…_ "I want it to live on while I'm getting things situated. And to sail to and from my island."

"Your…" Rinoa frowned, then asked, " _Your_ island? I take it this is the real estate stuff you almost told me about last time you were here?"

Squall's arm tightened slightly, pressing her into his side, and he began idly caressing her hair, then he answered, "yeah. I was beyond exhausted or I would have told you more, though I was a bit nervous about it."

"Nervous? You were nervous about telling me you bought a freaking _island_?" Rinoa demanded, raising herself up slightly to peer into his face. "Why would you be nervous about that?"

"Well…I didn't know what you'd think, first of all. I mean, just because it's something _I've_ dreamed about doing doesn't mean it's a lifelong goal of _yours_." He gazed up at her and stroked the side of her face gently, brushing a strand of hair aside. "Plus, it'll take some time before it's even habitable."

"So, tell me more about it. What's it like? What do you want to do with it, ultimately?" she asked.

"Build a house so I could live there. Maybe set up a hunting resort or whatever." Squall answered. Rinoa settled herself back down to her previous position, cuddling against him once more and he smiled. "It's called Eden Island. It's beautiful, just an hour's sail out from the Deling City harbor. It's also overrun with monsters, so I've got my work cut out for me getting it safe enough to live on."

"I'd like to see it." Rinoa said.

"I'll show you when it's safe." Squall said.

"Okay. I can't wait," Rinoa sighed contentedly and resumed caressing his torso, soaking in his warmth. "Thank you, by the way, for telling me. You didn't have to, but I'm glad you did. It's nice to know that you _do_ have hopes and dreams after all."

"More every day it seems," Squall said softly. There was an odd note to that soft statement and Rinoa looked up to meet his hungry gaze.

"What an odd thing to say," she whispered.

"Is it?" he murmured, shifting his position to face her, then reaching up to caress her cheek, lightly touching her bottom lip with his thumb. "Perhaps. But…when your chosen career almost guarantees that you'll be dead before you reach middle age, dreaming of a future seems pointless. The only real reason I even had a nest egg at all is I didn't spend much of what I earned so simply stuck it away. Then I found Elle, and…I found a reason to want a future. And now…I've found you…"

"What do you intend to do with me?" Rinoa asked huskily.

"This," he answered on a breath before taking her lips with his.

He could feel the fatigue of jetlag dragging at him, but the taste of her lips was like fire in his veins, burning its way into his heart. His hand stroked down her back to her pert behind and he palmed it, appreciating again its smooth, round perfection, pulling her close to press her body against his.

Rinoa moaned softly at the feel of his solid warmth against her body, of the hard length pressing against her stomach demonstrating Squall's awakening interest. His large, warm hand caressed her from her buttocks to her breast, leaving a trail of gooseflesh. His lips and tongue teased her while his touch sent a shivery frisson through every nerve ending, making her ache for more.

He gently pushed her back, lying her flat on her back, fighting for air as his lips trailed down her neck, nipping, kissing and sucking their way down to her breasts. She moaned and fisted her hands in his hair, arching her back as his lips closed over an erect nipple, suckling and teasing it and its counterpart in turn. And she was paralyzed by his determined assault upon her nerve endings, barely able to breathe, let alone move or think. And when his feathery light kisses stole their way down her belly, when his tongue finally found her core and flicked the tiny bud at its center, she couldn't even do that.

She'd barely caught her breath when he covered her with his warmth, and slid home. Her sensitized flesh clenched around him and she couldn't help a gasp and a long moan at the wonderful feel of him within her, his weight on top of her once more. She wrapped her arms around his back, her legs around his hips as they surged and retreated, and gave herself up to his keeping. She dug her fingers into his back as he moved and held on, while his muscles bunched and flexed beneath the scar-ridged, smooth satin of his back.

He increased his pace gradually, pulling her along with him toward a heart-pounding, breath stealing climax. The bite of her nails in his back offered a sign that she was close, and Squall drove hard, feeling his own control beginning to slip. Then she cried out and shuddered as she came, awash in a flood of pleasure. Squall followed with a guttural groan, panting heavily, caught up in the throes of his own climax.

They both lay together for a moment, just to breathe and listen to each other's heartbeats. Rinoa's hand's stroked slowly up Squall's back to the nape of his neck, where she threaded her fingers into the longish hair there. Squall simply drifted in a state of drowsy contentment, more than willing to simply let the moment be. Coherent thought was slow in coming, and when it did the only thing that surfaced was, _I love you._

* * *

"Well, here's a lovely craft Mr. Leonhart," the salesman gestured at the boat that bobbed gently against the bollards protecting her hull. "She just came up for sale yesterday. She's a thirty-footer with a nice galley, two staterooms, two smaller berths and a full bath aboard. She can sleep at least four, and maybe even more if your friends don't mind sleeping cozy."

"Can she be rigged for a single sailor?" Squall asked the man.

"Easily," the man answered with a smile. "That would make her the perfect choice for a romantic cruise of the archipelago, wouldn't it?" he grinned at Squall and Rinoa, not missing their interlaced fingers.

"That sounds like a lovely idea," Rinoa sighed and leaned into him, and Squall looked down at her with a small smile.

Squall returned his attention to the sloop, studying it critically. According to the salesman, the boat was five years old and had been very well cared for. The paint was flawless, indicating that the boat had likely been spruced up for sale, likewise with the gleaming wooden decking and blindingly polished metalwork. The lines were all neatly coiled and made fast, and the sheets were clean and free of mildew. The galley and the head too were both very clean and while small, were not impossibly so.

"When was the last time the engine was serviced?" Squall asked as they strolled the length of the vessel.

"A week ago. Everything's shipshape and the owner has all their repair receipts for your records along with the ownership papers if you want them." The man answered.

Squall gazed upward at the mast and boom, and the lines leading to the reefed canvas of the mainsail. He'd already gone belowdecks with the man to check on the engine and the bilges, and to take a look at what kind of storage he had available. The sloop was a pleasure craft so there wouldn't be a great deal of cargo space, though the salesman had assured him that there was space enough to store a years supply of water and food. Apparently, the boat's previous owner had been an adventurous type, sailing the small craft all over the world.

"What do you think?" he asked Rinoa quietly as they strolled the deck.

"It's beautiful." She answered. Of course, the other boats they'd looked at were lovely also, but there was something special about this one.

"What name is she registered under?" Squall raised his voice to get the salesman's attention.

"Ah…" the man said, thumbing through the papers on his clipboard. "Here it is: She's registered with the harbormaster as 'Wing Heart'." Rinoa smiled brilliantly at hearing the boat's fanciful name, and that smile made _Squall's_ heart take wing…it was too perfect. It was fate.

"I'll take it." Squall said.

Negotiations were conducted swiftly; the asking price of the boat minus the agent's fee amounted to a good deal less than Squall had been prepared to spend, though he _did_ talk the man down a little bit, just for fun. There was a good bit of legality involved as well, but at the end of it all, Squall was fifteen thousand gil poorer and the registered owner of a thirty-foot sloop rigged boat named Wing Heart.

The remainder of the day was spent purchasing supplies and arranging for sailing lessons; the boat _did_ have a diesel engine but fuel was expensive and he'd wanted to learn how to sail anyway.

By the time it was all done, the sun was setting over the harbor in a blaze of crimson and gold. Squall prowled the deck of his new boat, getting used to the feel of the space and the idea that, for the time being, this would be his home. Rinoa stood at the rear… _stern_ … of the boat, watching the sun set, hair riffled by the gentle breeze blowing in off the water into streamers of liquid black. The sight made his throat close momentarily at its sheer beauty.

He stole up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her hair and breathing its scent, before nuzzling at her neck and kissing her there. He smiled to himself at the audible catch in her breath.

"So, what do you think?" he asked her softly.

"This is wonderful… I can't wait until you can sail it." She answered, leaning back into him. He obliged her silent hint and tightened his arms around her, pressing her closer into his body.

"Me neither. I can't think of anything better than you and me on the water, alone." He said.

Rinoa sighed, smiling and crossed her arms over his where they were wrapped around her waist. "I wish we could spend the night here tonight but I have to work in the morning…"

"Well, I could spend one more night with you at your apartment, and when you leave for work tomorrow, I'll start moving my stuff here." He said. "If you want to stay here with me this weekend, I should be moved in and ready by then."

Turning to face him, Rinoa slipped her arms loosely around his waist and smiled up at him, saying, "I would love to have you stay with me tonight."

Stepping back, he gripped her hand gently and smiled at her, saying, "well, I don't know about you but I could do with some dinner. It's been a busy day." He started toward the wharf, tugging at Rinoa's hand, urging her to follow.

He climbed down the ladder first, and then waited for Rinoa, steadying her when she swayed upon reaching the dock. It was an odd sensation, as though she had only just become aware of the differences between standing on the deck of a boat, even one made fast to her slip, and standing on solid ground. She wondered if Squall felt that same slight disorientation that she did as her body adjusted.

When she asked him he answered, "a little bit. But I've been on a boat before, for several months in the open sea. I adjust more quickly I guess."

"A benefit of SeeD training, I presume?" she asked as they strolled toward the parking area.

" _Part_ of the training actually. We're usually transported by sea to wherever we need to go. You get over seasickness quickly or you wash out." Squall answered.

"But you don't know how to sail?" she asked.

"Not well. I can steer the boat out into the harbor fine using the engine. Using the sails though, that's a different skill set. I need a little help with that." He replied.

"So the next few days you're just going to be sailing around, huh?" she asked him with a smile as she unlocked the car and opened the door.

"Pretty much." He answered, getting into the car with her.

"What did you want to do for dinner anyway? Champagne and lobster to celebrate?" she asked, starting the engine and pulling out of the car park.

He smiled over at her, then shook his head, "Not yet. I've just gotten started. This is just one hurdle down. Anything else you want for dinner is fine though." He gently took her hand and kissed it before letting it go so she could return it to the steering wheel of the car. "A couple of beers and you is all I want tonight."

Rinoa's heart warmed at his softly spoken response, and she replied lightly, "Well, then I guess we can take a rain check on the champagne and lobster."

He nodded, "for now at least. Once I've gotten the hang of sailing, I'll take you out to see the island. We won't land of course, not until I've taken care of the nasties on it, but we'll sail around it so you can see what it looks like."

Rinoa sighed happily, "This is so exciting! I can't wait!" then she smiled over at him and added softly, "I'm so happy for you. And… it looks like you're happy too..." she bit her lower lip suddenly, wondering if she'd gone too far and presumed too much when his expression suddenly turned pensive. The silence was deafening, and Rinoa wanted to kick herself for blurting that out, fearing that she'd revealed too much, put him on the spot too soon. When he finally responded, she wanted to weep with both relief and joy.

"I am," he said simply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day! Wasn't actually TRYING to get this chapter finished before the holiday but that's sorta how things worked out. It's sufficiently fluffy and lemony to fit the occasion though. I know, it's been MONTHS since I last updated this story, and there are several reasons why.. one of them involving an auto accident a month ago that threw a rather large spanner into the works. It took me quite a while to get that mess sorted out, get the insurance settlement, find another car and conclude all the legalities involved with a "new" vehicle purchase. My present car is NOT new, but it's newer than my previous one (2005 model vs. 2004.. not much difference, really..). It's also silver as opposed to white. I've decided to dub it Griever, with the hope that it becomes a loyal, dependable steed instead of a cause for grief...*ahem*. anyway, more stuff coming, I'm working on finishing another chapter for Bells too. Stay tuned folks.


	18. Chapter 18

Quistis adjusted her glasses and took a sip of her coffee before calling her secretary, "Angela, did you copy the briefs for the Dornan case?"

"Yes Miss Trepe, I'll have them on your desk immediately." The young woman answered. She appeared in the office moments later, placing a stack of paper onto Quistis' desk.

"Thank you Angela." Quistis said, attention focused on her computer screen.

"You're welcome Miss Trepe. The hearing is tomorrow morning at eight. It's going before Judge Richards." The secretary informed her.

Quistis flicked a glance at her secretary and grimaced slightly.

"Problem?" The girl asked.

"No, not really," Quistis answered. "It's just that Judge Richards is a…" she paused.

"Anal-retentive stick in the mud?" Angela supplied in amusement. Quistis snorted.

"You said it, I didn't." she said, then sighed. "Well, at least he's fair. As long as everything's in order we should be okay."

"Well, that's a relief anyway." Angela said, then added, "Your one o'clock cancelled, by the way, but I've scheduled a new potential client to take that spot. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," Quistis said. "Did they say what they wanted or was it just for a consultation?"

"He's a real estate investor. He wants to set up a limited liability trust with some partners." Angela answered.

"Is it just him?" Quistis asked.

"Yes."

"What's his name?"

"I think he said it was Leon Hart. He sounded cute."

Quistis rolled her eyes at this and then frowned, wondering why that name seemed so familiar. "Hmmm. Well, I guess when Mr. Hart shows up we'll know for sure, won't we?"

The young woman nodded her head vigorously, dark brown ponytail dancing. "Yes! And if we're really lucky, he'll be single too!"

Quistis snorted, "That's all very well for you Angela, but you know I can't date my clients!"

"Maybe he has a brother or a close friend?" the girl suggested, eyebrows raised.

Quistis shook her head in exasperation, saying, "Focus Angela. This is a law office, not a singles bar. We're here to work, remember?"

"I know," the girl sighed. "Sorry. It's been a rough couple of weeks, and I'm just trying to get back on the horse. So to speak. And I know for a fact it's been even longer for you…"

"Well, establishing a law practice isn't very conducive to having a social life." Quistis said.

"Maybe you should take a vacation, you know? Go to that resort in Esthar you were talking about awhile ago?" Angela suggested.

"Sure," Quistis said without conviction. "Just as soon as the Drummond suit settles and I manage to clear the rest of my calendar… _and_ get paid for it all!"

Angela snorted, "You'd think as well-off as some of these people are, they'd actually pay _on time_."

"Well, to be fair, _most_ of them do." Quistis said, sipping at her coffee and glanced at her watch, then asked, "Are you going to get lunch next?"

"Yes, did you want me to bring you anything?"

"Yes. Spring salad and an iced tea please?" Quistis responded.

"Okay. I'll be back in a few minutes." The girl said, then left.

She returned shortly and Quistis ate her lunch at her desk while looking through the Dornan brief, organizing the paperwork and doing a bit of research for a couple of other cases she had on the docket.

At five minutes shy of one PM, Angela announced breathlessly, "He's here!"

Puzzled, Quistis asked her, "Mr. Hart?"

"Yes!" she replied, then Quistis heard her whisper under her breath, "Oh, Holy Hyne!" And she rolled her eyes again at her secretary's reaction. _This Mr. Hart must be really attractive,_ she thought, amused. Well, she wasn't dead yet, and was more than willing to appreciate a bit of eye-candy herself…if only covertly. After all, it doesn't do for a professional lawyer to be openly ogling a potential client.

Taking a deep breath to steady her voice, Quistis keyed her intercom and said, "Very well Ms. Strake. Send Mr. Hart in."

The door opened and she stood, intending to greet him in a polite and professional manner, with the standard handshake and pleasantry. Had in fact come around her desk to the center of her office to meet him, and froze when she got a good look at him.

She had _meant_ to say, "Good afternoon Mr. Hart." But that wasn't what came out.

Instead, the only thing that made its way past the shock induced brain-lock was, "You!"

"Excuse me?" Squall asked, frowning at the blond woman who was staring at him with wide blue eyes.

"It's you!" she said again.

Squall looked around the office, frowning, and established the fact that as the only other person in the room, she had to in fact be speaking to him…and acting as though she'd met him. Which of course was impossible, as he'd never seen this young woman before in his life, in _any_ context.

"Do I know you?" He asked her cautiously. He wasn't given to drunken binges, but there _had_ been that weekend in Dollet a few years ago…

Quistis shook her head in an effort to physically regroup, and met the man's puzzled gaze. "I'm sorry, no, we've never met. Not officially anyway. My name is Quistis." His expression cleared as he recognized the name. She belatedly extended her hand, which he politely took and shook firmly.

"Rinoa's friend. I'd no idea that you were a lawyer. Your practice is listed as Q. Trepe, and I never learned your last name so never made the connection. I'm sorry, if this is awkward I can go somewhere else..." He said head tilted to the side.

Quistis caught herself staring again, distracted by his impossibly cute posture and his clear, glittering Oh-My-Gods-To-Die-For turquoise blue eyes. The faint but perceptible Balamb accent didn't help either. He was taller than she thought he'd be, though the photograph that she'd seen in the resort's brochure only showed his face, and the picture Rinoa had taken of him standing in the hockey arena was just of him, with nothing nearby to offer a sense of scale.

He was impeccably dressed in a nicely tailored gray suit, snowy white shirt and silvery blue tie, though his hair, which was a medium reddish-brown, was just a bit on the unruly side. A long lock of it had in fact fallen over his forehead and Quistis suddenly wanted to brush it away from his eyes, revealing that rakish scar on his forehead…

_Focus Quistis!_ She kicked herself mentally, sternly reminding her surging hormones that the. … _Impossibly attractive, devastatingly sexy, hotter than the nine hells…_ man standing in front of her was in fact, her best friend's boyfriend. _And_ a potential client. And was therefore _off-limits_.

"No! No, this is fine! I'm fine! Uh…please, sit down," Quistis said, gathering her scattered wits and hoping that her first impression with him didn't make her look _too_ much like a moron. She gestured to the chair facing her desk and came around to the other side to sit down, momentary distraction fading as she stepped back into her role as a lawyer.

Lacing her fingers together, she studied him for a moment, then said, "I know your name isn't Hart…"

He grimaced and shook his head, "No, it isn't. I was calling from the harbor and apparently don't have the greatest reception out there. I meant to correct the young lady out front but …" He shrugged eloquently.

Quistis wanted to laugh, visualizing Angela's reaction at seeing him. It was a wonder she could manage to speak at all. Hell, the man had left _her_ speechless at first sight!

"I see," she said with a small smile. "So, your _actual_ name is…Squall, right? Squall Leon Hart? Am I remembering correctly?"

"Leonhart. One word." He corrected her.

"Unusual name," Quistis commented.

"Well, don't ask how I got it or where it came from," Squall said. "Because I have no idea beyond the fact that it was my mother's family name."

Quistis frowned slightly, not missing the " _was"_ in that sentence. It was clear that living or dead; Squall's mother was no longer a part of his life. She thought of saying something about that, but let it pass instead. It wasn't her business, anyway.

Rinoa had talked about him of course, but hadn't revealed absolutely _everything_ about him. Though she did mention his employment…both past and present.

"So, Angela said you're a real estate investor? When did this happen?" Quistis asked him curiously as she opened and searched through her desk drawers, finding the paperwork she needed.

"Recently. I relocated here to Deling City and had an opportunity that I'd wanted to pursue for quite a while become available. Setting up this trust is part of it." Squall answered her, watching in interest as Quistis gathered together several sheets of paper, forms, they looked like, and stacked them neatly on her desk between them.

"I see." She said, picking up a pen and studying him for a moment before continuing, "Well then, tell me what you want to do and I'll see if I can't make that happen."

* * *

"Over here Rin!" Selphie waved and Rinoa made her way through the restaurant to her friend's table and sat down.

"Where's Quistis?" she asked taking the menu that the waiter handed her.

"Working. As usual." Selphie answered with a grimace, adding, "We may have to do an intervention."

"It's good that she has so much work though. She's obviously doing a good job and word's getting around. That can only be a good thing." Rinoa said, scanning the menu idly.

"Yeah, I guess. Makes it kind of hard to keep up with her though. Too busy to do much of anything any more." Selphie sighed, sipping at her drink.

"Well, we knew that she would have to put in some long hours when she decided to open up her own practice. Establishing a client base takes time and hard work." Rinoa said. The waiter returned and she ordered her lunch, then took a sip of her water.

"So, have you decided yet?" Selphie asked her.

"About?"

"The ball. Remember? You told me your dad called you and basically ordered you to go as his escort, right? What are you going to tell him?" Selphie asked her.

"I don't know Selphie," Rinoa sighed. "I know he wants me to go so he can show me off to his cronies and I don't know, maybe find another Allyn for me?"

"Well, it worked once before, right? You found and fell in love with Allyn and your dad found a guy for you that he felt was acceptable. Win-win, in his book. So why mess with a winning strategy?" Selphie asked her. Then she added, "of course, things are _way_ different now. You need to tell him 'no'. _Or_ tell him you already have an escort, if you _have_ to go."

"You mean…Squall? Bring him as my escort? Oh, Selphie I don't know if… I don't want to throw him at The General like that! It would be a disaster!" Rinoa protested.

"How do you know that? Didn't you say he'd mentioned working for the General once before when he was an active SeeD?" Selphie asked her.

"Yes."

"So what's the problem? If your father only respects military guys, then Squall's got enough juice, even as a former SeeD, to stack up against anyone else there, right?" Selphie asked her, leaning forward.

"Yes…Selphie it's not that I'm worried that Squall won't fit in or they won't respect him or whatever. It's not even that I don't think he's ready to meet my father. We haven't been together that long, really…and maybe _I'm_ not ready for him to meet the general. Does that make sense?" Rinoa said helplessly.

"I think so." Selphie said.

Rinoa's lunch order arrived and she poked pensively at it for a moment before saying on a sigh, "I just want to enjoy what I have with Squall for as long as possible… before my father drives him away."

"Rinoa, you don't know that he'll do that. And you're also not considering the fact that, according to what you've told me about him, Squall doesn't scare easily. I think you're worrying over nothing. Go. Or _don't_ go. But at least give _Squall_ a chance to decide if he's ready to formally meet your father or not before you start worrying about something that may never happen." Selphie reached across the table and took her hand, suggesting, "Talk to Squall first. Tell him about the Spring Ball and your father's invite. Decide _together_ whether or not you're going to go, then tell your father what you've decided. He's an adult. He can find someone else to escort him."

"That sounds… scarily sensible, coming from you." Rinoa said with a smirk.

"Hey, I have my moments." Selphie said, grinning back at her. "Just don't expect there to be any sense at all if it involves cute cowboys and alcohol."

Rinoa laughed at that and Selphie joined her.

"Slut," she said, eyes dancing.

"Whore," Selphie retorted with a smirk. Rinoa raised an eyebrow and Selphie relented, saying, "Okay, whore- _bait_. Better?"

"Yes, though Squall's not doing that anymore so you may have to think of another name to call me." Rinoa said.

"I'll put that on the to-do list. Meanwhile, save up your pennies Rin, because I want a trip to Esthar for my birthday…with the same deal you got. Even if I don't come home with a hunkalicious studmuffin like you did, I'll at least have a hell of a weekend!" Selphie declared.

"Duly noted." Rinoa said gravely.

"So, when is this thing happening, anyway? How much time do you have to get ready for it?" Selphie asked her, picking up a chip and biting into it.

"Middle of May. I've got about a month to work up to inviting Squall and telling my father. So, you know. No pressure. At all." Rinoa answered.

Selphie grimaced, and then asked, "Have you figured out what you're going to wear yet? It's formal, right?"

"Yes, it's formal, and no, I haven't really decided on what to wear. I'll have to see what I have. I have a few formal dresses from other occasions…" Rinoa answered.

"Really?" Selphie gave her a droll look. "C'mon, you aren't seriously considering just dragging any old thing out of your closet are you? Kick it up a bit and find something smashing, will you? I'll help if you want."

"Okay." Rinoa agreed, returning her attention to her lunch.

"Great!" Selphie said, then rubbing her hands gleefully together, she added, "I'll find you something really slutty…"

"Slutty?" Rinoa asked, giving Selphie a level look.

"Did I say slutty? Sexy. I meant sexy." Selphie replied, affecting an innocent look.

Rinoa snorted, "Is there a difference?"

"Only in the way you carry it off. _You_ will be sexy no matter what you wear. I'm almost certain that Squall will agree." Selphie declared.

"Well, lets try and stay within the realm of good taste, okay?" Rinoa replied.

"If that's what you want…" Selphie said with an offhand shrug.

"Yes, it is." Rinoa said firmly.

"All right then. When do you want to go shopping?" Selphie asked her.

"Tomorrow night?" Rinoa suggested, wondering if Squall would mind doing without her for an evening. She would have suggested Saturday, but she wasn't going to miss Squall taking Wing Heart out on his first solo attempt at sailing her. Not at all.

* * *

Squall watched the front jibsail rise up the mast and bell out with and impressive "boom". The sloop, already scudding atop the waves from the boost provided by the recently cut engines, seemed to leap forward. The flags at the top of the mast, which Squall had thought to be useless decorations, flapped in the breeze. He had learned that the flags were used to tell the strength and direction of the wind, as well as providing identification of the boat's home port of call.

They could send other messages too; it was a nautical code that Squall was already familiar with, having learned a bit of it on the lobster boat. For sailing vessels though, it was just a little bit different. It seemed so to him at least. Perhaps it was that he'd forgotten so much of it in the intervening years since he'd last been aboard a boat.

There was a lot more to sailing than he'd thought. As the instructor had told him on his first day, any idiot can drive a boat under power, as long as you work the rudder right. _Sailing_ was an altogether different thing. Half art, half sport, and all challenge. Just four days into it, and Squall loved it already.

Even rigged for a solo sailor, Wing Heart was no easy ride. Squall had to constantly keep watch on the wind's direction, adjust the set of the sails, the rudder, and watch the depth of the water. Sandbars, reefs, shoals, seaweed forests, were chief among the dangers the waters he sailed upon kept hidden.

The first day, they never left the harbor. Instead, it was all spent on the boat, learning how each part of it worked. Some things, Squall already knew. Some, he didn't. The next day it was navigation, learning how to read the various charts and maps that one apparently had to have on hand when sailing for any great distance. There were of course such things on board as a radio, sonic depth gauge, compass, and so on, and the instructor went over how to use each of those items.

After all that was done…exhaustively so… _then_ they sailed. Just far enough out that they had room to maneuver, but still in safe waters should there be trouble. And they stayed out for several hours while Squall got the hang of handling the boat using the wind and the sails, rather than the engines. Push came to shove; they were good in a pinch, but only to be used as backup, which Squall understood. The sloop was a sailboat, not a yacht.

"Steer her to starboard. Fourteen degrees." Squall glanced back at the instructor, who'd been silently watching Squall the entire time, and nodded, steering the boat's wheel the suggested amount.

They sailed on the wind for a time, speaking little beyond the particulars of handling the boat, before the instructor finally said, "here. Reef 'em here and drop anchor for a bit."

"Why?" Squall asked, while locking the wheel into place and starting the process of lowering the sails.

"Good fishing spot. Thought you'd like to break in your rods while you were out here." he answered.

"Oh." Squall said, lowering the anchor. He glanced about, noting the fact that while they were in open sea, the Galbadian shoreline was still within sight. They'd sailed well past the archipelago though.

Once the boat had settled into anchor and was bobbing peacefully on the swells, Squall went below and pulled out his ice chest and brought it up on deck.

"Here," He said, pulling out a beer and handing it to the man. "Since we're taking a break."

"Thanks." The man popped the cap and saluted Squall, then took a sip.

Following suit, Squall adjusted his cap to shade his eyes better. He smiled to himself, knowing that Rinoa would appreciate that he was wearing the Galbadian Bears cap she'd given him. Even with sunglasses on, the glare coming off the water was intense, and the cap _did_ help with that.

"So, what's out here, anyway?" he asked.

"Oh, little bit of everything. Balamb Fish, Fastitocalon, shark, Sawfish, among others." Came the answer.

"You've fished out here a lot then?" Squall asked.

"Yep." Gesturing to the stern of the boat, the man added, "You should get a fishing chair bolted on back there. That way you can go for the really big marine fish like sailfish or tuna. Or shark, come to that."

Squall grunted and half shrugged in response, and hauled out both of his new fishing rods and the rest of the gear he'd brought on the off chance that he'd be able to actually fish.

Pondering the bait bucket, he finally said, "I prefer to do my big game hunting on land."

"I heard that you'd bought Eden Island. Is that why?"

It was close enough to the truth that Squall didn't feel the need to elaborate, so he simply replied, "Yes. Part of it anyway."

"There's more? I hear that place is lousy with monsters." The man said, coming over to peer over Squall's shoulder into the bait bucket. "Minnows. Still alive too. You fish much?"

"Not really."

"Well, you know your bait anyway."

"Used to work a lobster boat in Trabia."

"Ah. Well, let's fish, shall we?"

Squall glanced up at the man and nodded, then reached into the bucket, grabbed a minnow and baited his hook. Slippery, tricky business but he got it done, and in the end the poor fish was flapping desperately on the hook as Squall made his cast. He _hadn't_ really fished much, but on the lobster boat, there was little else _but_ that to do on the rare moments there was actually any downtime.

It was a good cast. The baited hook sailed well out over the water before it sank in with a distant _plunk_. Then, he waited as the boat rose and fell gently on the undulating sea. Fishing hadn't really been on the agenda for that day, but Squall had intended to do it sometime later that week. If nothing else, to see how good he was at catching his dinner. If he managed anything good today he'd ask Rinoa if she was interested in fresh seafood for dinner.

The sailing instructor had also cast and was slowly reeling in the excess line. When he'd gotten it where he wanted he stopped, squinting in the glare off the water.

"You know," He said after a while, "if you sail just a few more hours you'll be in Dollet. And from there it's just a heartbeat to Balamb."

"Hmm." Squall grunted, noncommittally. He narrowed his eyes at his bobber, which twitched suspiciously, then settled back into its placid floating.

"You know anyone in Balamb?" the man asked while reeling in his hook and shaking his head at its bait-less state. He bent to the bait bucket to remedy that, and then made another cast.

"Why do you ask?"

"Sound like you're from there. It's faint, but I can still hear the accent."

"I know a few people there." Squall answered the comment. The bobber twitched again, then disappeared beneath the water. He immediately pulled back on the pole and began reeling in the hook and whatever might have been caught upon it.

Whatever it was, it fought hard, and Squall's attention for the next few minutes was devoted to landing whatever it was that had been caught on his hook. Eventually he managed to exhaust his marine opponent and pulled it from the water, still flapping energetically.

"Hmm. Nice size."

It was too, easily four pounds of Balamb fish, which Squall dropped into a catch bucket filled with seawater to keep it fresh until dinner. Baiting his hook again, Squall made another cast. They fished together until the shadows grew from the sun's long trek toward evening, conversing sporadically. Despite having spent several days in the man's company learning how to sail, Squall knew next to nothing about him, and had difficulty even recalling his name. Dirk? Maybe it was Doc.

In any event, they ended up taking three good-sized fish apiece, and as they hove into port, Squall thought about calling Rinoa to invite her over for a fresh fish dinner on his boat. He knew already there was no point in trying to call her while out on the water; there was no signal out there for his cell phone. The only way to reach anyone, or for anyone to reach _him_ , was via radio.

So after he tied up and bade Doc farewell; he'd asked and the man had confirmed he'd gotten it right, Squall finally pulled out his cell phone and turned it on. It gave him a message tone immediately, alerting him to a voicemail message left by Rinoa.

He listened to the message and sighed, "Well, damn." Glancing down at the bucket still full of the fish he'd caught, fins waving and gills opening and closing madly, he added, "looks like it's just you and me for dinner." He'd gut and fillet the biggest of the fish, then clean and freeze the other two for later.

Pocketing his phone, he picked up the bucket with the fish in it and took it into the galley.

* * *

"Okay, do a twirl, will you?" Selphie was directing Rinoa, who'd just emerged from the dressing room wearing yet another dress. Rinoa did as requested, doing a slow pirouette and lifting her skirts slightly in the process.

She came to a stop and peered, frowning, at her reflections in the mirrors that showed each angle of her in the dress she was wearing. The heavy, sky blue silk swirled sensuously around Rinoa's ankles as she studied the fit and style. It was a very simple halter dress that draped and flowed down Rinoa's body like a waterfall.

"I gotta say, I like that one on you. The bronze one was nice, and black is quite striking with your dark hair and pale skin, but I really like this shade of blue." Selphie said approvingly.

"Okay, so this is a yes then," Rinoa said, returning to the changing room to remove the dress and put her own clothing back on.

She was putting her shoes on when her cellphone rang. She smiled as she picked it up, knowing already who it was.

"Hi," she said, standing up and taking her purse and the dress, preparing to leave the changing room. "How'd everything go today?"

"Good," Squall answered her. "Went fishing for a bit. Caught three nice big Balamb fish. Kinda wanted to share them with you for dinner but…"

"But I was out and you don't have any cell signal when you're on the water." Rinoa finished for him.

"Yeah."

"Sorry," Rinoa said apologetically.

"Don't be," Squall replied. "Are you having fun?"

"Yeah, Selphie and I are shopping." She answered, and then asked him, "What are you doing right now?"

"Lying on top of the cabin of my boat, staring up at the stars and drinking a beer."

Rinoa smiled, visualizing that, and asked, "and how many beers into this are you?"

"Dunno. Several."

"Well, you don't sound the worse for it, though the accent's a bit more pronounced." Rinoa commented.

"Is it? Hadn't noticed."

Rinoa laughed softly as she pushed open the changing room door. It squealed loudly and Squall asked, "Where are you?"

"Just leaving the changing room at Herott's. I'm buying a dress." She answered.

"So this means you've got you clothes on then?" Squall asked.

"'Fraid so," Rinoa answered.

"Damn."

"You should have called sooner."

"Guess so."

"So, how's living on the boat? Having fun?" Rinoa asked him, curious. Selphie raised her eyebrows as she approached, and Rinoa mouthed, "Squall" to her and she grinned.

"It's not bad. Be more fun if you were here though." He answered.

"No seasickness?" she asked.

"No. Though this'll be my first night actually sleeping here."

Rinoa laughed at that softly, recalling that he'd spent the last three nights with her, leaving when she left to go to work. She'd given him a key, just in case, but while he'd slept there, he hadn't actually moved in. Not really at any rate. In that respect, he was in an odd sort of limbo, not completely moved in, either with her or into his boat.

She figured it was just as well. Sometimes a person just needed his or her own space for a bit, particularly as things were so much in flux for Squall. She had a sense that he was worried about establishing a solid footing, both literally and figuratively, and so was concentrating upon that as his main concern. Despite that however, he never made her feel that their _relationship_ was in flux. He was still very much interested in continuing to see her, a fact that, despite everything _else_ being unsettled in his life at the moment, was a constant.

"I can't wait until Saturday. You may not get rid of me until Sunday once I'm on that boat with you." She said with a smile.

"So, no seasickness with you either?" he asked.

"I don't think so." She answered, following Selphie to the register to check out.

"Hope not." He replied, adding, "You want me to bring the fish over tomorrow? I've got two left and they're very good. And don't worry, I've already cleaned and scaled them. Won't take but a moment to fillet them as well."

"If you're providing the main course, then I'll do the rest." She said.

"And if you come over here Friday night, I'll cook you dinner. Breakfast too if you want." He smiled at her laugh.

"Does that line work all the time?" she asked him with a smile.

He laughed, "It's an old one. Thought I'd dust it off for old times' sake."

"You may want to just retire it. Besides, you don't need a silly line with me."

"Well, silly line or not, I'd like you to stay the night with me Friday." Squall said.

"I'll be there." Rinoa assured him, reaching the cash register and its attendant. Sighing to herself, she said, "Well I've got to go. I'll talk to you later."

"See you tomorrow night." He replied.

_I love you._ It was on the tip of her tongue. She had actually taken a breath to say it and stopped, hesitating just long enough for the beep to notify her that Squall had hung up.

After disconnecting from Rinoa, Squall simply lay on the cabin where he'd been for the past couple of… _hours_? Gazing up at the brilliant sprinkling of stars, drinking beer, and wondering idly if he should get a lounger for nights like this. He snorted to himself at that thought, acknowledging that he'd probably reached his limit on alcohol consumption if his mind was wandering _that_ far afield.

It had been a good day; sailing, fishing, and finishing it off with quiet contemplation of the diamond upon velvet constellations, mellowed by hops and malt. He was feeling pleasantly fuzzy, and figured he was about halfway drunk. He hadn't really intended it, but a sort of inertia had set in and before he knew it, he'd finished the last three beers that were left in his cooler. The only thing that would have made it a perfect day would be to have Rinoa waiting for him in his bed.

_The best things in life are worth waiting for,_ came the thought, and Squall frowned slightly, trying to remember who'd said those words. Ellone, he thought. Her battle with cancer had left her a far more introspective young woman than she used to be, and for good reason.

He yawned suddenly, remembering one of the reasons why he watched his alcohol consumption so closely: alcohol, or beer at least, tended to make him sleepy. Sleepy, slow, clumsy, uncoordinated…things that could get you killed if you somehow ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Some SeeDs could fight as well drunk as they could sober, or at least _thought_ they could, but Squall preferred his mind sharp and unclouded if he was going into a dangerous situation. Besides, he'd attended more than one funeral of a SeeD who'd overestimated his abilities, largely due to drink-fueled bravado.

He tipped his bottle up and drained the last few swallows of beer and set the bottle down. Then he sat up with a sigh, pausing as the boat shifted beneath him. He squinted over at the quay where he'd tied up. Nope, not moving. So, he was more than halfway drunk at his point.

"Three quarters," He mumbled to himself, standing up. He swayed slightly, reoriented, then managed to walk _mostly_ steadily to the cabin, and his bed.

* * *

"Ho the boat!"

A hail from the dock woke Squall, and he got up and pulled on a pair of pants, muttering to himself about his stupidity from the previous night. He detoured to the head to grab a glass of water and two aspirin, then made his appearance on deck squinting in the blinding sunlight and kicking himself for forgetting to grab his sunglasses.

Scratching at his sleep-tangled hair, he grimaced and took another sip of water as he approached the port side of his boat.

"What the hell are you yelling about?" he grumbled, glaring at the tall figure on the wharf that stood grinning at him.

"Well, I can't actually knock on your door, now can I?" Irvine smirked, adding; "now judging by your current state, am I to assume that there is an _actual_ 'ho' on this boat?"

"What?" Squall asked. His obviously hung-over expression of confused incomprehension struck Irvine as hilariously funny and he burst out laughing.

"Oh, the look on your face! If it wasn't so damn funny I'd be hurt that you'd decided to celebrate without me. Now tell me, what exactly were you celebrating?" Irvine asked, climbing aboard at Squall's curt gesture.

"I wasn't celebrating," Squall mumbled as he led Irvine into the galley and began making coffee.

"Okay, so what were you doing last night? And don't shine me on neither, because despite the rarity of the occurrence, I _do_ know a hung-over Squall when I see one." Irvine said with a raised eyebrow, sitting down on the saloon bench. Given the tight quarters of the sloop's galley, there really wasn't anywhere else to go.

Irvine gazed around, impressed. The boat was actually quite lovely and obviously well cared for. The two long benches that lined each side of the saloon were covered in a pale blue fabric, the paint was fresh and pristine white, and the woodwork gleamed golden brown from recent polishing. Irvine pushed down on the cushion, finding it firm but comfortable; obviously, the saloon benches could double as beds, and surprisingly, looked to be long enough to accommodate even _him_.

Squall sighed and leaned against the miniscule sink in the galley, and answered, "nothing really. The weather was nice, the stars were beautiful, and it was my first night on the boat…" he shrugged eloquently.

"First night? Didn't you buy this boat almost a week ago? Where you been sleepin' if not here?" Irvine asked, his keen eyes laser-sighted on Squall.

_Crap,_ Squall thought, realizing his slip too late. While he didn't want to hide the fact that he had a girlfriend, he was a little leery about revealing Rinoa's existence to Irvine. He kicked himself mentally, several times, while delaying his response by grabbing a couple of mugs and pouring coffee for himself and Irvine, then sitting down on the opposite bench.

"Thanks," Irvine said, raising the cup in salute and taking a sip. Sunlight streamed through the small windows that marched along the top edge of the cabin, picking out sparks of light from the brass hardware and gleaming from the varnished wood. The boat's interior was a great deal larger than he'd thought at first glance from outside.

Squall took a sip as well, feeling the fog lift from his mind as the coffee warmed his stomach. Setting his cup down, he met Irvine's curious gaze and waited. The tiny, oblong saloon table felt, to Squall anyway, like a shield, a buffer between him and his friend. That little bit of space in the otherwise tight quarters of the boat's cabin was just barely within his comfort zone, but it was enough.

"So?" Irvine prompted. Then his jaw dropped as Squall suddenly flushed beet-red.

"With my girlfriend," Squall finally answered, glancing away in mortification as he felt his cheeks bloom with heat. Shit. He was actually blushing like a fucking teenager. Hell.

"No." Irvine said, staring. " _You_? You have a _girlfriend_? Since when?"

Scratching at his head again, Squall glanced back at Irvine and answered, "Um….since March or so, I guess."

Irvine blinked at that, and then grinned widely at him, saying, "well it's about damn time bro! Glad to hear it!" looking around the saloon approvingly, he added, "you know, you sure have changed in the last two years since you left SeeD. I mean, you've got this sweet boat, a girlfriend; you've bought an _island_ … that still gets me, by the way… Man, I thought I knew you but I would _never_ have guessed you'd do _that_!"

Squall relaxed and leaned back against the hull of the boat, sighing again, "well, it took awhile for me to figure out what I wanted, and how I'd get it. Watching Ellone fight, day-by-day, just to _live_ …it made me start thinking about what was _really_ important, not only to her but to _me_ as well."

"Well, that's actually very awesome to hear and all but the most important question that needs answered here is this: Is your girlfriend cute?" Irvine asked, grinning wickedly.

Squall glared at him and snapped sarcastically, "No, she bears a striking resemblance to an Ochu. What do _you_ think?"

"Well, Hell man, I'd never even seen you out with anyone, so how would I know your preference? I wasn't even one hundred percent sure you were straight until I ran into a young lady that you'd had some acquaintance with. How the hell _would_ I know with no basis for comparison?" Irvine asked defensively, raising his hands in a warding off gesture.

"Did I hit on you or Zell? Or any of the other guys I worked with?" Squall demanded, brows drawn down in a threatening expression. Then his frown deepened and he asked, " _Which_ young lady are you talking about?" He began to feel irritated at the thought that one of the few girls he'd slept with previously had been indiscreet.

"Kristi Hanlon. And no, you never hit on us. Even if you were damned cagey about your conquests _we_ were reasonably certain that we weren't on your menu." Irvine answered, then added, "those that didn't know you as well as we did might have had questions but …" he finished with a shrug.

Squall frowned, "Kristi Hanlon?" He searched his memories but came up blank.

Irvine laughed, "You don't remember her? Well, she did say that you were pretty out of it. Maybe due to too much champagne and those wicked-ass painkillers that the doctor gave you. Do you remember the graduation party after the last field exam before you quit?"

"Vaguely. I remember getting torn up pretty badly rescuing a cadet that got himself in trouble." Squall answered.

"Yeah, you probably should have been in bed. I was surprised you were even vertical." Irvine said, then added, "then again, according to Miss Kristi, you weren't for very long."

"I don't even remember her. If I was in _that_ bad of shape, I can't have been a very memorable bed partner either." Squall commented, shaking his head.

"She had no complaints, other than the fact that you never called her." Irvine shrugged.

Squall blinked as the light bulb belatedly turned on in his brain and he demanded, "And just _how_ did you come to be discussing _my_ sex life with her? Did you hook up with her?"

"Umm.. well…"

" _Irvine_?"

"Yes. Yes I did. If it makes you feel any better, you didn't suffer by comparison."

"Fuck you!"

"It was a _compliment_!" Irvine gazed at Squall, lips twitching, then suddenly started laughing again, saying, "Gods I've missed you bro!"

Squall gave him a puzzled look, then shook his head, taking another sip of his cooling coffee and realizing how silly it was that he was getting upset over something that had happened over two years and a lifetime ago, and was not even close to relevant to his current situation.

Chuckling slightly, Squall finally admitted, "Yeah, I've missed you too."

"So, when you going to introduce me to your girl?" Irvine asked.

"Not in _this_ lifetime," Squall retorted gruffly.

"C'mon man! I promise I'll behave! Please?" Irvine batted his eyes and put on his most engaging grin. His grin widened as it achieved the desired result and Squall started laughing.

"You are such an asshat."

"C'mon. You know you wanna. Besides, if she passes the Irvine test, you'll know for sure she's a keeper." He waggled his eyebrows salaciously.

"Whatever."

"C'mon man. I gotta see this chick. If she's managed to hook _you_ , she has to be pretty special."

Squall's expression softened noticeably as he thought of Rinoa. Irvine stared in shock at the gentle smile that played about his former commander's lips, as he said softly, "Yeah, she is."

He'd never seen anything like it. Ever. Up until this moment, he'd have sworn on the Holy Writ that Squall _never_ smiled. Certainly not when Irvine or anyone else was around to witness it, at any rate. And most definitely, not like _that_. He looked like….

He looked like a man who'd fallen in love.

"You're really not the same man that commanded Garden two years ago, are you?" Irvine asked him quietly.

Squall shook his head, "No. I'm not."

Irvine swallowed suddenly, assailed by a bewildering array of emotions. He looked away for a moment, clearing his throat.

Once he was back on an even keel, he took a deep breath and met Squall's gaze, asking him, "So, you called me about some paperwork?"

"Yeah," Squall got up, appearing relieved at the change in subject, and retrieved a sheaf of paper from a cleverly designed, miniscule alcove that had the look of an office. He handed the papers to Irvine with a pen.

"Zell needs to sign this too if he wants in on the partnership." Squall stated.

"Yeah, I'll let him know. When do you need this filed?" Irvine asked, thumbing through the papers and scanning them keenly.

"As soon as possible."

"All right," Irvine said, signing the document in the space below Squall's flowing signature. Handing the paper and the pen back to Squall, Irvine added, "so, barbeque here next weekend?"

Squall blinked, taken off guard. "Uh…"

"Invite your girl. I'll bring the beer. And Zell can bring…his appetite, I suppose. Make sure you stock plenty of hot dogs." Irvine said, standing up and preparing to leave.

"Wait…"

"I'm gonna head up onto the deck. You going to take me out to the island? You DO need to go out there eventually to get the hang of the waters around there, you know." Irvine said, eyebrows raised.

Squall scratched at his hair again and grimaced, then sighed in exasperation, "fine. I was going to sail out there today anyway." Standing up, he added, "well, you've already made yourself at home, so I'm just gonna take a shower and we'll take off."

* * *

Later that evening he sat cuddled with Rinoa on her overstuffed couch, a glass of a very nice white wine in hand. Dinner had been wonderful, as much for the company as for the fresh fish that Squall had contributed.

Lifting the glass to his lips, he drank down the last swallow and set it aside, turning to face Rinoa. He trailed his fingers lightly along her jaw, tilting her face upward slightly, then bent down to kiss her.

"I enjoyed dinner," he murmured softly, eyes fixed on hers, his intent plain.

"So did I. The fish turned out wonderfully." Rinoa replied, heart starting to pound. Should she tell him about the ball? What would she say? And what if he doesn't want to go? _Why wouldn't he?_ She asked herself. _I mean, really, its just like we're going out dancing…at a formal ball. Where my father will be._ She swallowed suddenly, nervous.

She opened her mouth to say…anything… but Squall took that as an invitation and covered her lips with his, taking thorough possession of her mouth. And just like that, all thought was driven from her mind by the way his kiss tasted, the way his hand caressed her cheek and the base of her neck, the way her body suddenly clamored and ached to be part of him.

Dimly, she noticed him gently taking the wineglass from her nearly nerveless fingers and setting it on the coffee table next to hers (thoughtful of him, to save her carpet from stains and broken glass…). Then his lips trailed down her neck while he skillfully unbuttoned her blouse, a feat made impressive by the fact that he did it one-handed.

She fell back against the couch's cushions, feeling weak and boneless as he opened her shirt and slipped both hands around her waist. His hands, large and warm, roughened by calluses but gentle, caressed upward from her waist to her ribs, just below her bra. At the same time, his lips trailed feather-light, teasing kisses along her collarbone and down her chest. It was all she could do to draw breath without moaning in ecstasy already, and he hadn't really gotten started yet. The mind boggled.

He brushed his thumbs over her nipples and heat shot straight to her groin, forcing another soft moan from her. Then his hands slipped around to her back and undid her bra, freeing her breasts. She sat up and helped him remove them both, the momentary pause in the action restoring her mental faculties briefly. Enough at least that she could act on what her body was clamoring for, reaching out to slip her hands beneath his shirt to caress his torso and pull his shirt off as well.

She wanted to do more and leaned forward, intending to kiss his neck and chest just as he'd done hers, but he stopped her and gently pushed her back into the couch.

"No," he said softly, delicately laving one of her nipples with his tongue, then breathing on it, forcing it to harden. Rinoa gasped and closed her eyes at the warm thrill that spread from that light, teasing touch.

"Wh…why?" she managed, beginning to ache.

"Because," he whispered, transferring his attention to her other breast, suckling, teasing, and scraping lightly with his teeth, just enough to draw a soft cry from her. "I want you completely at my mercy before I take you."

_Oh._ Rinoa couldn't respond to that with anything more coherent than a moan, "…Gods."

Squall chuckled quietly and trailed hot kisses down Rinoa's body, distracting her by tonguing her navel while deftly working his hands beneath her skirt and removing her panties. He'd been very happy indeed to see that Rinoa was still wearing her skirt and blouse outfit that she normally wore to work. That got him hotter than the sexiest lingerie imaginable. Perhaps it was because he knew what that prim outfit was hiding, and derived a great deal of enjoyment peeling it all away until she was revealed to him completely.

And he definitely had no problems with her penchant for wearing suspenders and stockings. Not at all.

Rinoa needed something to hold onto when Squall pushed her skirt up out of the way, so she speared her fingers through his hair, running them through the thick, silky strands. Then he bent to his work and she suddenly couldn't breathe. Instead, she gasped and bit down on her lip to hold back a scream.

Squall stopped briefly at her muffled cry and looked up, saying huskily, "don't hold back Rinoa. I _want_ you to scream."

She couldn't stop herself; he returned to his manipulations, sucking hard on the bundle of nerves at her core while sliding two of his fingers inside of her, pushing her over the edge. She threw her head back with a cry, trembling from the force of her release. Wave after wave washed over her until she lay panting and spent, body still throbbing as her heart rate gradually descended.

Her senses eventually returned, and she opened her eyes to see Squall watching her with a smug smile on his face.

"You… meanie." She managed, loosening her death grip on his hair and caressing her fingers through it, smoothing the disordered strands.

"Oh? Meanie is it? After what I just did for you?" he chuckled, and then grinning up at her, eyes sparkling.

"Well…give me a minute…to catch my breath…and then I'll do my best to make _you_ scream…" Rinoa said breathlessly, lolling back limply on the couch.

Squall shifted from his kneeling position between Rinoa's legs to the couch next to her, caressing and kissing her bared skin along the way, making her sigh at the way he made her feel.

"I can't wait," he said. Then, growling playfully, nipped at her left breast, prompting her to gasp. He laved the area with his tongue, soothing the slight sting and Rinoa sighed again.

"Mmmmm.." She melted into him when he pulled her close against him, her hands drifting over his bared chest seemingly of their own volition. Her heart started to race again as he nuzzled at her neck, and she took a deep breath and focused on caressing his flat belly, letting her hands drift over the ridged muscles just under his skin. He couldn't help a slight laugh as she tickled her fingers through the fuzz beneath his navel, undoing the top button and slipping them beneath the loosened waistband of his jeans.

She smiled smugly at the sound he made when she finally grasped hold of him, hard, hot and heavy in her hand, and began to stroke gently. He helpfully finished undoing his pants, allowing her more room to work, and let his head fall back against the back of the couch, groaning. Leaning over him, she let her lips travel from his neck, down his chest to his nipples, flicking her tongue over the sensitive nubs just like Squall had done to her earlier, fully intending to give as good as she'd gotten.

"Ah…. Gods…." Squall moaned when Rinoa finally pushed his pants down out of the way, freeing him completely, and bent down to teasingly flick her tongue over the glans. Then she took him completely into her mouth, drawing a strangled gasp from him. He was already aching, and the feel of her hands and mouth on him made him want to let go. But Rinoa seemed to sense this and had enough skill to delay his release, bringing him to the brink and holding him there.

"Rin… For Hyne's sake…" he gritted, sweat gleaming on his forehead.

Rinoa laughed huskily and said, "no." then employed her teeth lightly.

"Gods woman!" He gasped, "You're killing me!"

Rinoa laughed again and took him deeper; Squall's hands, tangled in her hair, fisted convulsively as he uttered a guttural half-growl, half moan. She did her best to drive him beyond the capability of speech; her own excitement returning tenfold as she teased him mercilessly. When she had gotten him to the very edge, his body tense and thrumming like a live wire, his chest heaving as he fought for breath, she stopped. Stood up. Dropped her skirt.

"Now, whose got whom at their mercy?" she asked archly.

Body still humming, still throbbing from the unrelieved sexual tension that Rinoa had ratcheted up to an uncomfortable degree, Squall gazed up at her and challenged, "Why don't you get over here and let's find out, shall we?"

Rinoa came back to him with a sensual laugh that sent a warm shiver through Squall's body. She straddled his lap, and he stroked his hands up her thighs to her hips, gripping them firmly while she guided him in. That first instant of joining with her nearly undid him, and he had to pause a moment to catch his breath and reassert his control…or as much of it as he could.

Then Rinoa speared her fingers through his hair and pulled him into a deep, breath stealing kiss, rocking her hips and grinding down on him as she did. There was no question of him lasting very long after that, he'd held on as long as he could. Still…

He shifted his hold to her rear and held on, moving with her, finding and then losing himself in the rhythm of their lovemaking. Lost in _her_. Just…lost.

It could have lasted minutes, or forever. The passage of time had no meaning in that moment. And yes, when the final act was reached, and they let themselves go…if they didn't scream it was because they had no breath left to scream with.

"mmmmmm" Rinoa sighed, collapsed against Squall's chest, contentedly listening to his still pounding heartbeat. Squall chuckled softly in response, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her hair. Both sated and somnolent, they rested for a moment, basking in the afterglow.

Finally, Squall said, "we should probably go to bed."

Rinoa, eyes closed, snuggled closer, tucking her head under his chin, saying, "I'm comfortable here."

Yawning softly, Squall replied, "Me too. I really like this couch."

Rinoa laughed, and Squall joined her. They quieted after a moment, then shifted positions, physically disengaging from each other. Rinoa cuddled close and Squall wrapped an arm around her, caressing her hair lightly.

They sat in silence, letting the moment be. It felt so good to be held in his arms, she'd missed him last night. More than she'd thought she would. It seemed to her, going by Squall's behavior, that he felt the same. If he did, then perhaps Rinoa was worrying needlessly about that stupid ball her father wanted to drag her to. The only way she'd know for sure if Squall would be willing to escort her to the ball, of course, would be to ask him. And now was preferable to later, as time was getting short.

So, she took a deep breath to still the sudden fluttering in her midsection and asked, "You know, that dress I bought last night?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Squall asked curiously, wondering why she'd bring it up. He didn't find her going out and buying a dress inherently odd. She was a girl. They tended to do that from time to time, at least in his experience.

"Well, I bought it for the Spring Officer's Ball that my father drags me to every year…at least he did until I started going with Allyn. He wants me to go with him this year as his escort." Rinoa explained.

Squall frowned at this and asked her, "Do you want to go?"

"Not really. I mean, my father is expecting me to be his escort and, I don't know, maybe he's hoping that I'll find another Allyn there or something." Rinoa sighed.

"So, tell him no. He can't _make_ you go." Squall shrugged.

"It's not that simple. I'm his daughter, its kind of expected for me to be there. I don't _have_ to have him as my escort though. I'd rather have you." Rinoa said, then looked up into his face and bit her lip, adding, "I know its maybe a bit early for this but…. would you go with me? I mean, I'll understand if you don't feel comfortable meeting my father and all but..."

"Of course I will." Squall interrupted her with a light kiss on her forehead. "Remember, I've already met your father. Granted, not as your date but I won't be a complete stranger at least." He wondered privately what the old man would think of his daughter dating a former SeeD.

Rinoa let out a relieved breath and hugged him tightly. "Oh, thank you! I promise you won't have to stay very long. We'll just dance a bit, drink a little champagne and go home."

"Formal dress, right?" Squall asked her.

"Yes. Its not for a month, so you have time to find a tux and get it altered and ready." Rinoa assured him.

"Don't need to, I already have one. I'll have to dig it out of storage though and get it cleaned." Squall said, frowning as he tried to remember _where_ , exactly, he'd packed it away.

"Oh, good! So at least you don't have to go to the expense of renting one," Rinoa smiled brilliantly up at him, and Squall suddenly swallowed, overcome by its radiance. It was the kind of smile that made him want to lay his heart down at her feet.

Suddenly she yawned and said, "I think we need to go to bed."

"All right," Squall agreed, and they uncoiled from the couch, picking up scattered clothing and returning the wineglasses to the kitchen.

Busy with the mundane process of getting ready for bed, Squall had a niggling sense in the back of his mind that he was forgetting something rather important. For the life of him, he couldn't remember what it was though. It had something to do with Galbadia's government somehow. He turned it over and over in his mind and came up blank, finally giving up with a mental shrug and crawling into bed with Rinoa and wrapping her in his arms.

He closed his eyes on a contented sigh, his remaining thoughts anticipation of that coming weekend, two days hence, when he'd take her out and show her Eden…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, still plugging along here. You know, I really thought I'd be finished by now... Of course, by this point, me and the other WiBi participants are taking bets on the 'last fic pending'.. so we'll have to see who ends up bringing up the rear in this little challenge. So, moving on... more lemons, more development to the story coming up, and eventually this will be finished. Not giving any hints on when though because I have NO idea!


	19. Chapter 19

Rinoa stood at the bow of Wing Heart, feeling as though she was soaring over the waves as the sloop sailed on the wind. Bracing herself against the railing, she looked down at the hull of the boat cutting through the waves, marveling at how fast they appeared to be moving…. all under wind power.

She gasped as a sleek form suddenly burst from the water, just a few meters from the bow of the boat, leaping up high enough for her to meet its dark eye before it sliced cleanly back into the water. A porpoise. Suddenly it seemed as though a dozen more had joined the first one, making a race of it. Rinoa watched them in fascination, entranced by their antics. More than one leaped up like the first one had, apparently wanting to get a better look at her. Their curiosity and the intelligence that she could see in their eyes charmed her, and she couldn't help smiling as she watched them.

They disappeared as suddenly as they'd appeared however, and Rinoa sighed, turning to make her way aft, where Squall was absorbed in the boat's navigation.

"We're almost there." Squall told her as she approached him. "We just need to round that cape there and you'll see it." He indicated what looked like a mountain jutting out into the sea.

"I saw porpoises just a minute ago. A whole bunch of them." Rinoa said, smiling at the memory. And at Squall. He was wearing the Bears hat she'd given him along with a pair of sunglasses, but aside from a pair of black board shorts and deck shoes, he was wearing little else. Already tanned from living in Esthar, he looked good enough to eat.

She understood why he'd gone shirtless; it was a lovely day, just warm enough to make the sea breeze refreshing by contrast. Rinoa had opted for a halter-topped sundress, in cool, summery white cotton gauze. Squall had obviously approved; he'd had difficulty tearing his gaze away from her, in point of fact.

"It's called a pod, actually," Squall corrected her, smiling at her excitement. "It's apparently hugely entertaining for them to race the boat. They usually split off when we get closer to land. That's kind of a hint for me to watch out for reefs."

Rinoa nodded, watching him in fascination as he focused on the various instruments and controls of the boat. She had no idea what it all did, and was mightily impressed that Squall apparently did. Some were easy to figure out; a lever locking the wheel into place keeping the rudder steady, for example… sort of like an auto-pilot, or so it appeared.

The other toggles, switches, gauges and electronic readouts were more difficult to identify, though Rinoa knew where the radio was at least; Squall had showed her. He'd also instructed her how to radio for help, in case he wasn't able to for some reason. It had scared her a little bit, but it made perfect sense; there was only the two of them on the boat after all, and if Squall were incapacitated at all, Rinoa would _have_ to help.

"Sooo…. I'm guessing reefs are bad?" Rinoa asked.

"Not in themselves, no. But _hitting_ one is definitely a bad thing. Porpoises avoid them to avoid injury; coral is very sharp. So, watching them tells me when we're passing close to a reef. I have a depth gauge here too, and that helps." Squall explained, removing the bar from the wheel and steering slightly to starboard. The bow, tossing on the waves, veered slightly to the right in response. The sails flapped slightly when the boat changed its direction, and Squall made some obscure adjustments to the trim and they bellied out again.

Glancing up at her, he said seriously, "You really should put on that life vest. If it gets rough and you go overboard, I won't be able to get you right away." Rinoa nodded with a quiet sigh, picking it up. She hadn't wanted to put it on when Squall had first handed it to her, thinking it a silly precaution since they were going such a short distance. She was realizing that even a short sail could have disastrous consequences if things went wrong.

He distracted her from sudden, nightmarish thoughts of nautical disaster by directing her attention to just off the port bow.

"The island should be coming into view soon. We'll be around this peninsula before you know it. Should be dead ahead when we round this rock here…" Squall said, carefully steering the boat around the jutting landmass, then adjusting the sails again to quarter the wind and leap forward as the sails luffed out.

And there it was. Not much was discernable at first aside the fact that they were approaching an island with a very large, conical mountain making up a goodly portion of it.

"That's a…" Rinoa began, and Squall finished, "A volcano. Dormant, possibly extinct. Part of what I'm going to have a geological team investigate."

"What if it's not quite as dormant as you hope it'll be?" Rinoa asked, worried.

"Plant seismic monitors all over it, with alerts for any sustained activity." Squall answered calmly. "I'm not a geologist but the surrounding area doesn't show any evidence of any recent volcanic activity. Which at a guess could mean that it's been hundreds if not thousands of years since it's done anything. Still, never hurts to have an escape plan in mind, just in case."

"And? What is your escape plan then?" Rinoa asked, intrigued.

"Well, first thing is building a helipad. After we get the monster population under control, that is. First sign that the mountain's going to blow, we bug out." Squall answered.

"You're not going to do all this by yourself? Right?" Rinoa asked.

"No, I have a couple of partners, friends of mine from when I was a SeeD. They're going to be helping." Squall answered.

"Will I meet these friends?" Rinoa asked, suddenly very curious indeed about Squall's SeeD buddies…whom he'd never mentioned until now.

"If you want. Irvine's decided that we're all going to have a barbecue on my boat next weekend. So, he and Zell are guaranteed to be there…along with their appetites." Squall answered ruefully.

Rinoa laughed, "What, he didn't give you a choice?"

"Not really," Squall replied.

"Sounds like a fun guy." Rinoa commented with a smile.

"Yeah. Fun." Squall snorted, then glanced at Rinoa and added, "and a _huge_ flirt."

Rinoa raised an eyebrow and added archly, "worried?"

"No." Squall answered quickly. _Not YET, anyway…_

"Good." Rinoa said, moving closer to lean against him, then reach over and kiss him on the cheek. "No reason to be."

Squall smiled over at her briefly, the returned his attention to operating the boat, carefully sailing her closer to the island, watching carefully for shoals. Rinoa stepped away so as not to interfere or get in the way. Her excitement mounted with each moment that drew them closer to the island.

What she could see of it was stunning. The mountain…. or volcano…. Dominated the island's topography. Squall carefully threaded through the reefs, dark patches beneath the otherwise crystal clear turquoise waves, sailing past a gorgeous white-sanded beach. Rinoa watched the water flow through different gradients of blue, growing lighter in color as the depth decreased. As the land mass grew more defined, Rinoa's awe at its beauty increased.

They sailed round the island to the backside of it, almost exactly opposite of the beach, to see a completely different aspect. The mountain, rather than being dead center of the island, was instead toward the back of it, and a portion of it was sheared off into jagged cliffs, dropping straight into the water. The coastline of the island curved inward here, as though something had taken a large bite out of the island, leaving behind a secluded cove. The water was fairly deep here, and Squall steered the boat into the cove, moving to drop anchor, reef the sails and halt their forward progress. Rinoa simply stared at the view.

"Oh…Squall…" she breathed, gazing upward at the majestic peak that reared up from the cove, covered in tropical green and draped in silvery white waterfalls that drifted down into the sea below. She walked toward the portside railing, leaning against it and simply taking everything in. She drank in the fragrance on the breeze, of sea and of the riot of tropical flowers that Rinoa could see in the jungle on the mountain slopes.

Squall joined her at the rail, leaning against it next to her, saying softly, "yeah."

"It's beautiful. I can't believe you actually _own_ this. All of it. It's just….amazing." Rinoa sighed.

"I find it hard to believe myself, sometimes, when I really stop and think about it," he replied.

"I can understand why." Rinoa said, looping her arm through his and leaning into his body, caressing her hand down his forearm to his hand, threading her fingers through his. He responded by kissing her gently on the temple.

They stayed there for a moment in silence; with Rinoa studying the jungle and wondering if she'd be able to see any of the monsters that Squall had told her infested the place.

"I know you told me the island was overrun with monsters, but I wish we could go ashore to see the interior." Rinoa commented.

"Trust me, it's beautiful. But it's too dangerous for us to go ashore right now." Squall replied.

"Do they ever come out where you can see them? From the sea, I mean?" Rinoa wondered.

"Some of them might, depends on the type of monster. I've only seen a few myself, and those were either diurnal or crepuscular. The team that catalogued them couldn't finish their report because one of their men was injured and they had to leave." Squall told her. "I'm sure there's more than a few, watching from the cover of the jungle."

Tilting her head to study Squall's profile (and admire its finely chiseled quality), Rinoa asked him, "I know what 'diurnal' means. It means active in daylight, right?"

"Right." He answered.

"And I know nocturnal means active at night. So, what's 'crepuscular' mean?" Rinoa asked, curious. She'd never heard that term before.

"Active at dusk or dawn. Neither truly nocturnal nor diurnal, but somewhere in between. There are a lot of monsters that fit that pattern. Some of them are very dangerous to deal with because of that." Squall answered her.

"Why?" Rinoa asked.

"Because the light is uncertain, making these creatures more difficult to observe. So it's hard to discern a pattern of behavior. Hard to predict how they'll act when confronted." Squall said.

"And you intend to hunt them all?"

"Yes. But not alone. I'm not stupid. Before I even bought the island I started thinking about what I'd need to do first, before I started making any other plans. So I got back in touch with some fellow SeeDs, Zell and Irvine, and they signed up as partners." Squall said, directing his attention to Rinoa. "Eventually, I want this place to be my home. So yeah, I'll fight and kill whatever I need to in order to make it the safe haven that I want and need it to be."

"For yourself?" Rinoa wondered. It seemed like an awful lot of work, unless….unless he was thinking farther into the future than he was letting on.

"And for anyone else that chooses to live here." He answered, thinking, _For myself, yes. And for my friends. But mostly for you._

Rinoa's breath clogged in her throat a moment at that, and she had to take a deep breath before she responded, "don't get yourself killed doing it."

Turning to face her, he disengaged his hand from hers to raise it to her cheek, caressing it gently before dropping it to her waist and pulling her close. Rinoa, wanting to see his eyes, reached up and pulled off his sunglasses, earning a quick smile from him.

"I don't intend to," he murmured softly before dipping his head to gently place his lips over hers.

Rinoa's eyes drifted shut as she gave herself up to his kiss, wrapping both arms around his waist as he had done with hers. Each kiss of his had a different flavor, a different feeling. Sometimes, it was passionate, inflammatory and hungry. Sometimes sweet, gentle, and…. loving. And there was never a moment where she didn't enjoy his kisses, his caresses.

He moved his hands up to cup her face, his long fingers caressing the back of her neck while his thumbs brushed her cheeks. Pulling back a bit, he rested his forehead against hers, turquoise eyes warm as they gazed into hers.

"So, now that we're here, alone, for two whole days…. what did you want to do first?" he asked her softly.

"What is there to do?" Rinoa asked him curiously.

Squall paused for a moment, thinking, and then answered, "Well, there's fishing. I've got all my bait and tackle in the number one cubby down below. Snorkeling, if you're into that, though I'd be rather careful as I'm not entirely certain what lurks in the waters below us, aside from the odd porpoise. We _could_ try out the master cabin…." He smiled briefly at Rinoa's soft laugh, and continued, "Or, as we are entirely alone out here…we could make love on the deck, out in the open air."

"Hmmm…." Rinoa said, smiling at the mischievous sparkle in his eyes. "Tough call. I've always wanted to snorkel, and fishing sounds like fun. And I know we'll both end up in the master cabin at _some_ point…. and making love out on the deck sounds rather nice, and we do have some very inspiring scenery, but the thought of having certain, very _sensitive_ parts of my body sunburned does make me reconsider that. There _are_ only so many places where sunscreen can be safely applied, you know."

Squall chuckled, "now that you mention it, there are a couple of places where _I'd_ hate to be sunburned myself. Fishing then? If we catch anything good, it can be dinner."

"Sounds wonderful. Perhaps we can revisit the 'making love on deck' idea later on. Perhaps around sunset." Rinoa said.

"Fishing it is then. I'll get the gear." Squall said, giving her a quick peck and ducking down into the boat's cabin.

Rinoa really didn't want to fish. Or rather, fishing wasn't what she wanted to do the most, but she wasn't opposed to it either. And hey, she was hanging out with her boyfriend, so as far as she was concerned, fishing…. or anything else for that matter… would be fine as long as it was with him.

Squall on the other hand, obviously enjoyed it, and was more than happy to help her learn, after she'd admitted to never really having done it before. So he gave her his spare rod and set it up for her, even baiting the hook, before showing her how to cast. First two tries were failures, nearly spectacularly so. Fortunately, Rinoa froze immediately when Squall had told her not to move, and he was able to disengage the hook that had somehow caught on her dress. The barbs were only caught upon the cloth, although they could easily have been driven into the skin if Rinoa had attempted another cast.

It took several tries before Rinoa managed a decent cast, flinging the baited hook far out over the water. It splashed home a few meters out from where Squall's cheery yellow float bobbed on the waves. Rinoa gave him a brief, happy smile, settled down onto the folding chair that he had brought up from below deck and sighed.

Squall did the same thing, reaching into a cooler he'd brought up as well and asking her, "Did you want anything to drink?"

"Water, please," she answered.

"Water it is," he said, handing a bottle to her. He reached into the cooler again and selected a beer for himself.

Silence reigned for a few moments, with Rinoa giving herself up to it and listening to the restless lapping of water against the hull of the boat, the surf against the distant shore. Seabirds wheeled far overhead, their shrill cries carried on the fitful breeze that played through the bare lines that festooned the empty mast and boom. The sails were neatly reefed and out of the way until Squall needed them again.

It was a beautiful day, made even better by the drool worthy picture that Squall presented as he leaned back into his chair, beer dangling loosely from his fingers while he gazed out over the water, watching his float. The Bears hat was pulled low to shade his eyes, but he hadn't put his sunglasses back on, so those piercing turquoise eyes of his were on full display. The sun glinted off his silver necklace, as well as his silver stud earring, silver ring and stainless steel wristwatch.

Rinoa sighed as the silence stretched, and Squall glanced over at her, eyebrow raised, lips twitching slightly.

"So. This is fishing," Rinoa finally said.

Manfully hiding his amusement, Squall replied seriously, "Yes. It is." Silence stretched again.

Then… "Its…. boring."

One corner of Squall's lips tilted upward but he otherwise remained silent.

"Do you talk…. ever…. while fishing?" Rinoa finally asked.

"Not usually." Squall answered.

"Oh." She said. Then she asked, "Why?"

"Because I'm usually alone." Squall answered.

"I see. Do you prefer it that way?" Rinoa asked him.

Squall studied her, letting the silence stretch once again. Rinoa tilted her head at the speculative look in his eyes, curious about what was in his mind.

Finally, she couldn't take it any longer and asked, "What are you thinking?"

A half-smile quirked the corner of Squall's mouth as he answered, "I'm thinking about your skirt."

"My skirt? What about it?" Rinoa wondered.

The half-smile slowly broadened into a sexy grin as he replied, "I was just thinking about how it would look hiked above your waist.…with you bent over the stern rail."

That statement, uttered in such a matter of fact tone, just about undid her. She had to swallow several times to moisten her suddenly dry mouth at the image that appeared in her mind. Oh, dear Hyne, she suddenly wanted to give up on the fishing and try the _other_ option!

And damn him, he was laughing at her consternation!

She opened her mouth to say something to him, but couldn't think of anything; his soft laughter was about as distracting as his smile was. Then his fishing pole twitched and quivered and he immediately directed his attention to it.

Eyes narrowed, he watched the line play out, then jerked back sharply on the pole, starting to work the reel. He paused, and the line whirred out from the reel again. Obviously, whatever had grabbed the bait was still hooked, at least for the time being. Squall pulled back on the pole again and began reeling back the line, and the fight was on.

It didn't take long for him to realize that this wasn't going to be an easy, or a _short_ , fight. A strong jerk from the creature on the end of the line nearly ripped the pole out of his hand and he tightened his grip, hauling it back while working the reel. The minute he let go of it though, the line buzzed out as the fish took off with incredible speed.

"Holy Hyne!" He exclaimed, then growled, "come on you bastard, you're not getting away this easily!"

Rinoa watched the fight in fascination, paying scant attention to her own quiescent pole. Edging toward the rail to see if she could get a good look at the fish (if fish it _was_ ) that Squall had hooked, she looked down into the water, gasping and jumping back as something leaped clean out and splashed back down.

"Oh my goodness Squall! That thing is _huge_!" She glanced back at him and forgot what else she was going to say. Instead, she fumbled for her camera. She just had to get a picture of _this_ : Squall, tanned, shirtless, and glistening with sweat from his exertions, lean muscles and tendons fully on display as he fought a _very_ large fish. The fiercely focused, almost scary expression on his face; lips tight, eyes glaring, completed the image. That one picture alone made fishing suddenly sexy.

Fortunately, he didn't notice her snapping away.

"What's it look like?" he asked, sounding strained and a little breathless.

"I don't know. Seemed like it was nearly as big as _me_!" She answered, returning her attention to the water. The fish breeched again and she added excitedly, "and it has a…long, pointy nose!"

Squall frowned, wondering that kind of fish that might be. Saberfish, maybe. Working the reel again, he stood up and approached the rail, trying to tire the damn thing out so that he could haul it aboard. As hard as it was fighting, if it was anything less than a two-meter gamefish, he'd be severely disappointed.

The fight seemed to go on forever, and the longer it dragged on, the more Squall began to worry about the durability of his rod and reel. They were nearly new; he'd only used them a couple of times, but when he'd purchased them, he hadn't intended anything bigger than a large Balamb fish. Ten pounds, max. Not a thirty to forty pound (or more) saberfish.

Going after a gamefish of that caliber required equipment especially designed for a large, hard-fighting fish like saberfish or fastitocalon; both of which could reach truly monstrous sizes. The largest on record was a saberfish of over 3.5 meters and nearly a thousand pounds.

The fish leaped from the water yet again, rising a truly astounding distance; writhing and fighting the firmly embedded hook and line, giving Squall and Rinoa a good look at it before it splashed back into the water.

It was _huge_. _Not_ , fortunately, a record breaking size; but large enough that Squall seriously considered cutting the line and letting it go before it broke his rod or even pulled it from his hand. Rinoa had other ideas.

"You need some help with that?" she asked, surprising him.

"Not sure _how_ you'd help but if you're willing to help me land this thing..." he answered in a strained voice. The long fight was beginning to take its toll on him.

"Well…" Rinoa said, pulling in her rod and reel and laying it aside, then coming up to stand with Squall. "I'm not actually sure either but if nothing else I can help you pull or something."

"Okay." Squall wasn't sure it would work, and it was a bit awkward at first, but eventually, between the two of them, they managed to wrestle the still vigorously fighting fish aboard. The effort of pulling it out of the water and into the boat however overbalanced them both and all three of them; Squall, Rinoa _and_ the fish, ended up gasping on the deck of the boat.

"Oh my Gods!" Rinoa exclaimed breathlessly. "That thing is huge!"

Squall, still trying to catch his breath, looked over at the still thrashing fish. It had worked its way a little too close to them for comfort; the sword-like protrusion on the end of its nose was lined with razor-sharp, toothlike scales.

"It's not that big. It's actually kind of small for a saberfish." Squall said, finally getting up and putting an end to the fish's struggles with a sharp blow from the end of his gaffing pole.

"Big enough," Rinoa said, flinching reflexively when she saw Squall kill it with an efficiently wielded gaff. Getting up and peering closer at it, she reached out toward the "sword" on its nose, asking, "Is this sharp?"

"Yes, it is. Razor sharp, in fact, so be careful." Squall warned her.

Grabbing some spare rope, he looped it around the tail end of the fish and flung it over the boom just above his head, pulling it up to suspend the fish from it and get a better look at its dimensions.

"Hope you like saberfish steaks," he commented. "We could both probably eat for a week with that."

"Do you have room in your freezer for it?" she asked. Retrieving her camera, she took a candid shot of Squall standing next to the fish and examining it critically.

Small for its species or not, it was an impressive specimen. With the long blade of a nose included, it was nearly two and a half meters long, and easily fifty pounds or more. Of course, that was just a guess as Squall didn't have a scale on board to weigh the thing with. In any case, it was a big damn fish and it took a good bit of time to clean it and cut it up into steaks.

It was a messy process, and one that Rinoa was very happy to leave in Squall's far more capable hands.

Once that was done, the offal tossed overboard and the deck cleaned, Squall decided to sail the boat the rest of the way round the island so Rinoa could see the rest of it. It was, in a word, gorgeous, and Rinoa couldn't wait to see the interior, once Squall pronounced it safe enough.

By the time they returned to the "harbor", it was just about dinnertime, so Squall started preparing the saberfish steaks to cook. Rinoa watched him work with interest; not only because it was damn sexy to watch a man cook, but also because the galley on the boat was so compact, she found it fun to watch the scaled down appliances work.

She _did_ lend a hand with the wine, surprised that Squall actually had thought to bring a nice, crisp white along.

The dinner was simple; the saberfish steaks, grilled on Squall's tiny propane cooktop, seasoned with sliced lemon, herbs, salt and pepper, along with some frozen asparagus that he'd tossed in the pan after the fish with a bit of butter for flavor.

As the day was lovely and the sunset not to be missed, they had opted to dine alfresco on the deck of the boat. On a blanket. Complete with pillows to soften the hard wooden planks. He'd set it all up in the small triangular space at the bow, just forward of the cabin's cowling. He'd actually leaned some of the cushions from one of the saloon benches below against the side of the cabin to function as a backrest. All in all, it was wonderful. Comfortable and romantic; a feast for all senses.

Squall definitely knew what he was doing in that respect, and Rinoa could only appreciate that his previous incarnation as an escort-for-hire had made this his stock in trade. She felt incredibly lucky that she was the sole beneficiary of the "education" he'd received on the job.

Dinner finished, they relaxed on the deck, leaning cozily into each other, sipping wine. The boat rocked gently at anchor, and Rinoa watched as the light gradually deepened into the honeyed gold of late afternoon.

"When do you plan on starting your monster hunting?" Rinoa asked him.

Squall turned to study her, wondering why she had asked that question, and answered, "Well, sometime next week, I guess. I have to get some specialized gear and supplies first, and that'll take a bit of time, getting everything ready."

"Do you have any idea how long it'll take?"

"No." he answered, adding, "but we won't be out there the _whole_ time. Maybe two or three days at a stretch, at least to start."

"Well," Rinoa sighed. "As long as you come back in one piece."

"I certainly don't plan on anything else," Squall replied seriously.

Noticing Rinoa's empty glass, he asked her, "Would you like more wine?"

"Yes," Rinoa answered. It was a very good vintage, and she was enjoying its subtle blend of flavors. Squall obligingly reached over and poured more into her glass, taking the remainder for himself.

The sky gradually changed colors as the evening progressed, with Squall and Rinoa both simply watching the hues go from gold, to orange, to rose, to crimson, and finally to violet. The breeze that came up over the water caressed Rinoa's skin with a warm, gentle touch, putting her in mind of the man who was sitting next to her. She became very aware of the warmth of his body where it touched her, the quiet sound of his breathing, his sun-soaked scent, and suddenly she wanted him, right there on the deck of his boat.

She drank down the last swallow of her wine and turned to him, heart already starting to thud heavily. Squall likewise finished the wine in his glass, and set it aside, taking Rinoa's glass and moving it out of the way as well. He obviously was in a similar frame of mind as he traced her jawline lightly with his fingers before bending down and giving her a soft, lingering kiss.

"Do you want to go below?" he asked her quietly. He hadn't missed the desire in her eyes, or the pliancy of her body as she'd melted into the kiss.

Rinoa considered that a moment, and then decided against it. Their current location and the way Squall set everything up was too perfect. And as the sun had now dipped low enough that the threat of sunburn was negated, she was more than willing to stay where they were.

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "I think I'm fine right here."

"Yeah?" he asked, shifting his position and pulling Rinoa over onto his lap. Reading his intent perfectly, she straddled him and settled down, feeling his erection pushing against her through their impeding clothing.

"Mmmm-hmmm." She said, leaning forward to kiss him again.

"Me too," he murmured, trailing kisses down her neck while sliding both hands up her smooth thighs and around behind to take a firm grasp of her derriere.

Things got heated very quickly after that. Rinoa couldn't help a moan as he trailed his lips down to her breasts, licking and nipping at her nipples through the fabric of her dress, automatically making her arch against him. Suddenly, she couldn't breathe, and by the sound of it, Squall couldn't either. All she could think about was how badly she wanted the fabric barrier that separated him from becoming a part of her, stripped away.

Trailing her fingers down his chest to his waist, she untied his shorts and, with a little help from him shifting a bit, pulled them down and freed him. She immediately took hold of him and started stroking.

His grip on her rear tightened convulsively and he groaned, "Oh…Gods…" Then it was Rinoa's turn to moan as she felt his hand shift to a much more intimate location, moving her underwear aside and slipping first one, then two fingers inside of her, finding her more than ready.

The ache to have him join with her became almost unbearable, and Rinoa suddenly became hasty in her greed. A shift, a surge and then…a sweet rush of pleasure as he slipped inside of her. She gasped, automatically rolling her hips, taking him in as deep as he could go, loving the way his fingers tightened on her ass as she did. She moved again, slowly, teasing him, and watched his head fall back, heard another moan from him.

Raising her hands to the back of her neck, she unfastened the top of her dress, baring her breasts. Then it was her turn for her head to fall back and her eyes to close in utter ecstasy as Squall sat up and took one into his mouth, suckling and teasing her nipples, nearly making her lose her rhythm. He took control then, both hands still holding her backside as he helped her move, and matched those movements with his.

Tangling her fingers in his hair, she took his mouth with hers and lost herself in the fog of overwhelming sensation. Body, mind and heart all tangled together in the heat of love and sex and desire, all rolled into a white-hot moment of passionate heat. They slammed into each other repeatedly, taking and giving in equal measure, bodies on fire, hearts racing, and lungs starving for air.

Just the right mix of tooth and tongue at a sensitive nipple, just the right angle of thrust, just the right pace…. and Rinoa shattered into a million pieces with a cry, shuddering from the power of her release. Squall tightened his arms around her and followed soon after, nearly crushing her against him and squeezing his eyes shut on a guttural growl, caught up in the throes of his own orgasm.

It was that little pinpoint of time; it may have only been a few seconds, or a few minutes, that seems to last forever. That one moment that is truly timeless, where everything is suspended, and the purity of existence and its potential just _is_ …. it is the brief moment between heartbeats, between one breath and the next, that pause before the plunge…they hovered there for a trembling instant. Then they both breathed again.

Squall gentled his hold on her, and raised his head up from where he'd buried it in the side of her neck, kissing it softly in passing, making his way to her lips again and giving them a soft, lingering kiss as well. Rinoa meanwhile was running her fingers through his hair, combing the disordered locks and generally making him want to lie down and let her do nothing else but _that_.

Instead he sighed and relaxed back against the side of the cabin, taking Rinoa with him and encouraging her to snuggle into his chest. The shift in their positions caused them to disengage, and Rinoa sighed at the sensation. Every nerve ending was still sensitized by their lovemaking, to the point that further sexual contact was almost painful. Fortunately, both were fully sated by dinner, by wine, and by the lovemaking that they'd already engaged in, and post-coital relaxation left them curled in each other's arms, drowsily content.

They simply lay together, watching the sunset, Squall lightly caressing Rinoa's bare back, while she pillowed her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat.

Yawning softly, Rinoa said, "This is beautiful. Thank you for bringing me here."

"Thank you for coming," Squall murmured, kissing the top of her head and moving his hand up her back to stroke her hair.

"Your hair is so soft," he said softly. "So shiny, with all these little sparks of blue, and strands of sable, and black…and these little caramel streaks you put in. Beautiful."

Rinoa smiled at that, saying, "You are too, you know."

"Me?" he asked. "Are you saying _I'm_ beautiful?"

"Mmm-hmmm." She confirmed. "Gorgeous. Sexy. And….yummy."

Squall laughed softly, and Rinoa smiled as the vibrations of his mirth shook her. "Yummy, huh?"

"Yes. Makes me want to lick you all over." She said.

"Mmm… well, you won't get any complaint from me, if you decide to indulge yourself." He said.

She yawned softly again, eyes blinking sleepily, and mumbled, "Maybe later. Too comfortable now."

"Yeah, me too." he yawned as well, and added, "it's warm enough out tonight we could just sleep here if you want."

Rinoa considered that, then shook her head. "No. I want to try out your bed."

"Did you want to go below now?" he asked her.

"No, not yet. In a little bit." She answered.

They fell silent for a little bit, then Squall asked her, "Why did you say I was beautiful, rather than handsome, sexy, et-cetera?"

"Because you _are_. You have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen on _anyone_ , man or woman. You have great skin too; apart from the scars, it's nearly flawless. And you have gorgeous hair; soft, thick, silky, and this lovely, rich shade of …." her voice trailed off as she searched for just the right word to describe the color of his hair.

"Brown." He supplied, lips quirking in a half-smile.

"Not _just_ brown," she insisted. "But…coppery brown. You've got streaks of gold, copper, bronze, and sable brown all mixed in together. It's truly beautiful in sunlight. And _you_ are simply breathtaking. Like a….a marble statue come to life or something."

"Well, fortunately, I'm human. And I've got more than a few flaws." He told her, starting to feel a little embarrassed by what she was saying.

"I know. So do I." She responded. Then she lifted her head and gazed earnestly into his face, saying, "But you know, I love those flaws, those imperfections. They make you real. Human. Not an impossible, untouchable fantasy but someone with a mind, a heart…a soul….they make you who you are."

Squall swallowed suddenly, at a complete loss for words as he took in what she was saying. The only thing he could think to do was to kiss her again, gently, sweetly, then hold her close as she laid her head back down over his heart.

"I can't see your flaws," he finally said softly. "All I see is….perfection."

"But…I'm _not_ perfect…" Rinoa protested, and Squall shushed her.

"You're perfect for _me_."

* * *

The mood shifted as they got up and cleared off the deck, carting all the dishes, utensils, cushions, blankets and so on back to the boat's cabin. It had grown dark in the meantime, and Squall was obliged to turn the lights on in the cabin while they got everything put back to rights. Dishes washed and put away, bedding returned to the bed at the bow that Squall had appropriated, and teeth brushed and flossed.

The shower was a tiny affair, far too small for them to share, so Squall deferred its use to Rinoa when she expressed the desire to use it. While she was thus occupied, he took the opportunity to straighten out his bed.

Rinoa had commented on it when she had toured the boat with Squall prior to his purchasing it. He had to admit its triangular shape was certainly unique. Finding sheets that would fit it posed a challenge, but given the fact that it was situated in the bow of his boat, there wasn't much to be done about its configuration. It was comfortable though, whatever its shape, and would certainly fit the both of them.

He kissed her in passing as she emerged from the shower, the fresh scent of the shampoo and lotions she'd used enticing him. He only needed a quick shower; the limitations of his boat's water supply and the capacity of its water heater very much in mind as he did. He'd given Rinoa the caveat on showering, but still was pleasantly surprised to find that she'd managed to leave enough hot water for him to shower as well.

Rinoa was already in his bed and blinking sleepily, and he smiled at her as he shut the lights off, dropped the towel he'd wrapped around his hips, and crawled in bed with her. She immediately snuggled close, giving him a soft kiss.

And just like that, he wanted her again, despite the fatigue he could feel dragging at him. He hadn't been lying when he'd told her that he'd never get tired of her or bored with their lovemaking. Not when there was so much still to discover. But he held off from doing much more than idly caressing her back, while she simply lay quietly. Her breathing told him that she wasn't quite asleep yet, however.

"I love this boat," Rinoa finally said quietly. "Today has just been….perfect."

"Yeah, it has," Squall agreed, smiling inwardly. No, not quite asleep.

She shifted and pillowed her head on his chest, tracing random patterns on his skin and playing with his pendant.

"Maybe next time we could bring Angelo? I'd like to see how she handles being on a boat," Rinoa said.

"You'll have to fit her with a life vest. I'd hate to see her drown if she falls overboard. May want to bring her aboard with the vest on while we're still docked to get her used to it." Squall suggested.

"Mind if I bring her to the barbecue next weekend?" she asked.

"Not a bit. Invite a couple of your friends too if you want. It shouldn't just be _my_ friends at this thing," Squall said, blood beginning to stir at the way Rinoa's fingers brushed against his nipples. His loins began to tighten.

"I'll see if Selphie and Quistis can come. I think they'd love it." Rinoa said.

"Well, they'll love the boat at least. Can't speak for the guys." Squall said with a smirk.

Rinoa laughed softly, "such a ringing vote of confidence there. I'm guessing there's going to be adequate amounts of alcohol included?"

"Yes." Squall said, amusement bubbling under the surface and leaving ripples in his voice. His amusement faded as Rinoa placed a soft kiss on his chest, then on his left nipple, while her fingers made tickly little spirals down his stomach. Suddenly, he couldn't breathe.

"I thought you were tired," he managed, drawing in a deep breath.

"The shower restored me. And you smell too sexy to resist." She replied, pressing against him and reaching up to kiss him.

"Mmmmm," He murmured after coming up for air, "I was just thinking the same thing about you."

She laughed softly, "great minds…." And reached down to take him in hand, feeling a thrill deep inside at his hard, throbbing length. His head fell back against his pillow with a moan, and Rinoa smiled at how much power she had over him in that moment as she slowly stroked him.

He could only endure so much of that however, finally rolling over on top of her with a deep growl, "You're killing me woman!" Her laugh ended in a gasp as he entered her in a single thrust, mildly surprised that she was already moist and ready for him.

Rinoa wrapped her arms around him and sighed in utter bliss as he nibbled gently at her neck while rocking slowly within her. He moved his lips to hers and she locked herself around him, moving with him. They fell into synch with each other, each loving the other with their bodies, tongues too busy to release the words that lay in their hearts.

They ended up gasping, clinging to each other as the aftershocks of their interlude echoed in each other's flesh. They came down slowly, the day's activities finally catching up to them and making eyes heavy. Lying face to face with her, Squall reached out and brushed an errant strand of hair away from Rinoa's face, caressing her cheek gently.

He couldn't see much in the close darkness of his bunk, just outlines, but he could feel her warmth, hear her breath deepen as sleep started to claim her.

He smiled as she asked sleepily, "Do you think we'll manage to make it out of bed tomorrow?"

"Only if you want to," he answered softly. "Of course, if you truly want to give Wing Heart a proper christening, we'll have to have sex on deck at least once more. Or, you know, there's always the stern rail…"

Rinoa laughed softly, "Is this a nautical tradition? I thought you christened a boat with champagne."

"Well, funny thing ….I forgot the champagne." Squall replied.

Rinoa laughed again, and said, "I think you forgot it on purpose."

"Mmmmmm," Squall said, gathering her close and nuzzling her hair, making her shiver at the brush of his warm breath against her neck. "I still can't get the image out of my head of your skirt up above your waist at the stern. I really, really want to do that."

"I'll put that on the to-do list for tomorrow." Rinoa said, yawning softly. Squall followed suit, much to his surprise, prompting Rinoa to laugh again.

"You'd better go to sleep if you want the strength to follow through with your plans." Rinoa said.

"I think we'll both be walking funny when we finally get back to Deling City." Squall commented.

"Worth it," Rinoa said, yawning again and settling down to sleep.

"I agree. Good night Rinoa," Squall said, kissing her on the forehead and relaxing as well, falling asleep quickly thereafter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally another chapter! Mostly fluff and sex, but that's not necessarily a BAD thing, right? More stuff'll happen in the next chapter, and at some point there's going to be multiple monster hunts, so there's plenty of potential for mayhem to keep things from getting TOO boring...anyone get the feeling that this story's just one long vacation? I WISH...


	20. Chapter 20

"What. The. Hell." Squall said, staring in disbelief at Irvine and Zell as they arrived at his boat for the barbecue.

"Hi Squall," Zell said apologetically, stepping aboard and handing him a couple of six packs of his favorite beer. Squall accepted them absently, still staring.

"Irvine," he asked in a deceptively calm voice, "why are you wearing _that_?"

Irvine grinned widely and answered, "Hey, it's a party, right? On a boat? And …"

"And you showed up to meet my girlfriend wearing a banana hammock. Really?"

"Hey, this is the Irvine Test. If she can't keep her eyes off the goods, you may want to rethink dating her." Irvine replied unapologetically, gesturing toward the aforementioned garment and what it did _not_ hide.

Squall dropped his face into his hand, saying, "Oh, my Gods…"

A half-smothered snicker from Zell prompted Squall to turn and glare at him, and demand, "and you let him leave Garden wearing that? What the Hell's wrong with you?"

"Dude, I'm not his mother!" Zell said with a shrug, then he laughed, "you should have seen the looks he was getting on the train though. Priceless."

"I can only imagine," Squall said dryly. Giving Irvine another jaundiced look and shaking his head at the gold and black torama spotted bikini swimsuit he was wearing, he added, "at least you had the sense not to wear your boots as well."

"And he _is_ wearing a shirt. So, you know, he _does_ meet the minimum requirement for decency," Zell added.

"I'm not stupid," Irvine said with his eyebrows raised. "I know I need deck shoes, boots have no traction here." Then he handed Squall a large package of frankfurters and buns, saying, "here. I brought the meat."

Squall looked down at the wieners, then at Irvine, and said simply, "of course you did."

Zell and Irvine exchanged a glance while Squall went below to put the meat and the beer into his fridge, then started laughing uproariously as the full meaning of Squall's wry rejoinder struck them.

He returned a few moments later with a beer for each of them, handing one first to Irvine, then to Zell, and keeping a third for himself.

"So, when is your girlfriend going to be here?" Zell asked curiously. "For once, I'm with Irvine on this. I need to meet the woman who managed to snag _your_ attention."

"She's on her way now, with a couple of her friends." Squall answered, then rolled his eyes as Zell grinned, "You mean, there's actually going to be chicks at this party besides your girlfriend? Awesome!"

Irvine perked up as well at hearing this, asking, "Are they cute?"

"Well, yeah, I guess so." Squall answered, wondering which friends Rinoa was going to bring; Quistis, or Selphie, or both. _Gods, please not that Kelly girl, or whatever her name is…_

That particular "friend" had been more than a little annoying to Squall. He'd thought he'd convinced her beyond any doubt that he was _not_ interested, but the little skank was nothing if not persistent. Fortunately, his encounters with her were infrequent; his and Rinoa's hours were such that they did not cross paths with her too often. He rather doubted that Rinoa would invite her along, but that didn't mean the girl wouldn't find a way to invite _herself_. She seemed the sort.

Irvine wandered aft to the control center of the boat, and turned on the radio, while Zell made himself comfortable in one of the few deck chairs Squall had. Something bluesy started playing, and Squall took a sip from his beer and sat down on the raised top of the cabin, situated amidships.

Irvine rejoined them and sat down in the other deck chair, sprawling out comfortably with his hat tilted down and sunglasses on…and his long legs stretched out and spread wide. Zell snorted at the sight, and Squall simply shook his head. He wasn't sure most of the time if Irvine seriously thought such antics were enticing to the female gender or if he was clowning around. Not having seen the man "on the hunt" as it were, he hadn't the faintest clue.

"So, you get all that ammo I ordered?" Irvine asked.

"Yeah. Came in yesterday. Air freight all the way from Esthar. Fucking shipping cost almost as much as the order did," Squall groused.

"Worth it. Trust me." Irvine said.

"If you say so. Though I _am_ glad that they carry high-grade gunblade ammo too. I got as much pulse ammo as I could possibly afford." Squall said, taking a sip from his beer.

"When are we shipping out?" Zell asked.

"Monday. _Early_. So you guys can nurse your hangovers tomorrow." Squall answered with a slight smirk. Irvine and Zell both chuckled wryly at this, then quieted as Squall continued, "But everything's ready to go. Got every nook and cranny down below crammed full of shit. Everything from camping equipment, weaponry, food, and a _bunch_ of emergency first aid supplies. So we're set, and we've got enough food to stay on the island all week if we have to." Squall answered, then he frowned, asking, "are you guys cleared for some time off from Garden?"

"Yeah, Zell and I put in for some vacation time. So, we got two weeks starting now. And we're both free agents, so we can pretty much pick our assignments now." Irvine answered.

"So you guys finally reached A rank?" Squall asked, interested.

"Yeah," Zell confirmed, then added, "I can't wait to see this island Irvine told me about. Sounds awesome! Go to a beautiful, remote spot for the sole purpose of killing as many non-native critters as possible. My idea of a perfect vacation."

"Glad for the enthusiasm." Squall said, then glancing over at Irvine, he rolled his eyes and asked, "you do realize that Rinoa's friends are likely to take one look at you and run the other direction don't you? I hope you're not seriously hoping to hook up with one of them."

"Hey, chicks dig me," Irvine said with a cocky grin. "They think I'm charming."

"I seriously doubt any female in her right mind finds a torama spotted banana hammock at all charming." Squall replied.

"There's a method to this madness," Irvine said serenely, taking a long pull from his beer. "Watch and learn, grasshopper."

"Whatever," Squall said, taking another drink.

Zell watched the byplay and chuckled in response, taking a drink of his own beer. He was astounded when Irvine had told him what Squall was getting into. He had certainly changed, and for the better. Zell couldn't wait to meet the girl that had in all likelihood played a part in that change.

* * *

Quistis, Rinoa and Selphie walked along the quay, following Rinoa's lead to the slip where Squall kept his boat. There was an actual, honest to Hyne residential section of the harbor, where live-aboards like Squall docked. Both she and Selphie couldn't help but goggle at some of the vessels that tied up there.

It was a mixed bag; everything from million-gil yachts to clapped out, unidentifiable crafts that barely looked seaworthy. Squall's boat was neither a floating rubbish pile, nor a gilded fancy-boat, but the little sloop was clean, sleek and attractive enough to hold her own.

"Well, that's actually kind of cute," Quistis commented as they approached the slip where he'd tied up.

"I am so jealous of you right now, Rinoa," Selphie chimed in. "I mean, the boat's pretty, the guy's gorgeous, and….man…." she sighed. Then she perked up and asked, "Hey, you said he'd have a couple of his friends there. Are they cute?"

Rinoa shrugged, "I don't know. He never really said much about them, except one was a really tall cowboy type and the other one a martial artist. No mention if they were _cute_ or not."

"Did you _ask_?"

Rinoa laughed, "Yeah, he just gave me this confused look and said he had no idea."

Quistis snorted and Selphie giggled. "I guess we'll just have to take our chances, huh Quisty?"

"Speak for yourself." Quistis said with an indifferent shrug.

"Hey Rin, you don't think we're overdressed for this, do you? I mean, it IS a barbecue..." Selphie asked.

Rinoa shook her head, "No, you look adorable Selphie. You could have worn your favorite jumper if you'd wanted to, though."

Selphie twirled suddenly, making the short skirt on the lemon-yellow chiffon sundress flare outward. "Well, this seemed summery enough for this, and I like the color."

"Well then, it's a good thing it looks good on you," Quistis smiled. Selphie smiled happily back, green eyes sparkling.

"You know, I half expected you to show up in your business suit," Selphie said.

"Well, this is a social occasion, despite the fact that Squall has somehow ended up as a _client_ as well. So…" Quistis gestured mutely to her attire. Casual, but still cool and elegant looking, she wore cream colored linen shorts and a plain white tee-shirt, with strappy leather sandals that showed off her long, shapely legs. Her hair was confined in an updo with her hairclip, and she wore her gold-framed glasses. Rinoa thought she looked perfectly lovely and told her so.

Rinoa, feeling slightly naughty, had opted for a black leather miniskirt, a jewel-blue silk top, a pair of ankle boots and tiny, lacy black underthings. For later.

As they drew closer to the boat, she could see Squall, sitting atop the cabin, with two other men who were seated in folding chairs on the deck, drinking beer. She waved and called out, and he turned and saw her, then hopped off the cabin and approached the portside rail.

He leaned on the rail, his beer dangling from his fingers, and said, "Thanks for coming. Come aboard, we've got beers in a cooler, or wine, if you prefer. Haven't started cooking anything yet, so you can tell me what you want."

Rinoa smiled brilliantly at him, feeling slightly giddy already at how sexy he looked: tanned and just slightly scruffy, it was offset by a crisp, white dress shirt which was open at the collar and rolled up to his elbows, tucked into a faded and well-worn pair of jeans.

Upon reaching the deck of his boat, she immediately walked into his arms and he obligingly held her close and gave her a soft kiss.

"You look beautiful," he murmured softly, hand caressing her waist.

"You're not so bad yourself," she replied in kind. He smiled at her briefly before turning toward Quistis and Selphie, tucking Rinoa under his arm and pulling her close to his side.

He'd just started introducing Selphie and Quistis to his other guests, but before he could do more than gesture vaguely in their direction, a low wolf-whistle interrupted his train of thought.

_Oh, no…._ he groaned inwardly as he, and the girls, turned and watched Irvine, who was making a show of lowering his sunglasses and raising the brim of his hat as though to get a better look at them.

Then he stood and stretched, very obviously preening for the benefit of his female observers and approached with just a hint of swagger in his step. Squall rolled his eyes at this display and sighed, shooting Rinoa an apologetic glance. He was surprised to see her watching Irvine's approach with her hand firmly covering her mouth and her eyes watering with suppressed laughter. He relaxed and watched the show instead.

"Ladies," Irvine said, sweeping his hat off theatrically and bowing. "I am very pleased indeed to make your acquaintance. My name's Irvine Kinneas." Replacing his hat, he turned toward Rinoa and asked, "And you're Rinoa, right?"

At her nod, he grinned happily down at her, and Rinoa found herself charmed despite or perhaps because of, Mr. Kinneas' _almost_ indecent attire. He was certainly attractive, and apparently _very_ aware of it. Only someone who had an overabundance in confidence in their own appearance would wear a gold and black torama spotted bikini swimsuit, unbuttoned shirt in a predominantly red tropical print, a cowboy hat and canvas sneakers.

"Well, Miss Rinoa," he drawled, taking her hand and kissing it in a deliberate effort to be appealing, "I am _delighted_ to meet you." Rinoa couldn't help smiling back at him; his dark blue eyes sparkled with intelligence and humor, and she couldn't help but think that his frankly ridiculous getup was a joke of some kind. On _whom_ remained to be seen, but Rinoa was interested in finding out.

Then Irvine turned his attention to Selphie and Quistis, asking "And who might you lovely ladies be?"

"I'm Quistis Trepe," Quistis answered, falling back on businesslike courtesy and hoping that would put him off. She extended her hand, intending a handshake, but Irvine took it and gave it the same courtly kiss that he'd given Rinoa. Quistis sighed inwardly at his exaggerated courtesy, thinking that he was perhaps trying a bit too hard….for what, she didn't know.

"Miss…Trepe?" He asked, eyebrows raised. "The lawyer?" at her nod, he shot a look over at Squall and accused, "You never told me she was _beautiful_! Hell, I'd have been in her office to sign that paperwork with bells on!" Squall rolled his eyes at this but otherwise remained silent.

"I most certainly hope _not_ ," Quistis said mildly. " _Clothes_ would be much preferred." Then she eyed his current outfit coolly and added, "Business attire, if I may make a suggestion." Irvine laughed at her response, taking no offense whatsoever at her remarks and instead appreciating them on their own merit.

"Darlin', I look just as good _in_ a suit as out of one." He grinned wickedly at her.

"Oh, dear." Quistis said in mock sympathy. "I'm sorry."

Rinoa couldn't help it; she collapsed against Squall, laughing. His quiet laughter joined hers, and she saw Irvine and the other man both laughing so hard that they were bent over and wheezing, while Quistis simply smiled quietly and Selphie giggled.

Once he'd gained control of himself, Irvine pointed at her and said, "I like her!"

Recalling that there was still one more person he needed to greet, Irvine turned to Selphie, saying, "I hope you don't think I was ignoring you, darlin'. I was just saving the best for last. May I have the pleasure of your name?" Rinoa and Squall both watched in amusement as Irvine worked his quirky charm on Selphie.

"Selphie Tilmitt," she said, extending her hand. Irvine obligingly took it and gave it the same courtly kiss that he'd given both Rinoa and Quistis. But his manner toward Selphie was…slightly different.

"Irvine Kinneas, ma'am." He said simply, dropping all pretense, attention riveted on her. "Pleased to meet you."

Selphie, her attention likewise caught by the tall, handsome, funny and charming cowboy, was momentarily tongue-tied. Catching herself staring, she blushed and finally managed a dimpled smile, answering, "Nice to meet you too. Um…are you a SeeD?"

"Yes, ma'am, I am. Would you like a beer?" Irvine asked her. At her nod, he led her toward the cooler. Neither appeared aware that he'd never let go of her hand.

"Well, that was certainly interesting," the other SeeD said dryly. He was handsome as well, though much shorter and more compact and muscular than his friend. One side of his face was tattooed in a striking tribal pattern, his blond hair was done in a spiky style, and he had bright blue eyes that sparkled with both intelligence and wry humor.

"I can't follow _that_ performance," he said with a lopsided grin. "So I'll just introduce myself. I'm Zell Dincht. Nice to meet you ladies."

"Quistis Trepe," Quistis said, extending her hand. Zell shook it firmly, impressing Quistis with the leashed power in his grip.

"Rinoa Heartilly," Rinoa said, likewise shaking Zell's hand when he turned to her.

"I'm glad to finally meet you," Zell smiled at her. "When Irvine told me about Squall having a girlfriend, I had to meet you. Tough nut, that one."

"Oh? How so?" Rinoa asked curiously.

"Well, no one ever seemed to catch his interest. The last couple of years have changed him a lot." Zell answered.

"Yes, well, finding a long-lost family member and then watching them fight a serious disease will do that." Rinoa said, then she turned to Squall and asked him, "So were you _that_ different a person then?"

"Yes, I was." Squall answered seriously. Then he changed the subject, saying, "I should probably get busy with getting the food cooked. If you're hungry, that is. Irvine brought hot dogs, and I've still got some saberfish steaks left in the freezer from last week. No trouble to cook that up, if anyone's interested."

"The saberfish sounds great," Quistis smiled, then she handed him a small cloth bag with a bottle in it, saying, "Oh, and I know you said you had wine but I brought this for you. You can use it later if you'd prefer."

"Thank you. Would you like anything to drink?" Squall asked her.

"A beer for now," Quistis answered.

Squall turned toward the cooler but Zell waved him off, saying, "I've got it. Anything for you, Rinoa?"

"Beer for me too." She answered, then adding, "Thank you." When Zell handed her the opened bottle.

She took a sip, very aware of Squall's proximity and the little, caressing movements his fingers were making at her waist. His lightest touch communicated his desire to her, and she couldn't help but respond in kind.

"Rinoa, would you mind giving me hand in the galley?" Squall asked, warm gaze communicating perfectly that he had more in mind than just _cooking_.

"Not a bit," she smiled, and followed him down to the galley.

Zell watched them go with a smirk, then turned his attention back to Quistis, commenting, "I'm thinking dinner might take a while."

"I think you're right." Quistis replied. "So, your area of expertise is martial arts? What kind?"

"Any kind. Mixed Martial Arts it's called. Just unarmed combat in general, really." Zell answered.

"Really? So you don't use any weapons at all?" Quistis asked, intrigued.

"Nope, just my fists." Zell answered.

"Surely you're not going to do that when you guys start on your monster hunting project," Quistis wondered.

"No. We've got enough weapons and ammo to make certain agencies here very, very nervous if they got wind of it." Zell answered.

"You're not doing anything illegal," Quistis said. "Squall owns the property you're going to, so you don't need any hunting permits."

"I was mainly thinking about the types of weapons and ammo we've got. It's legal, but….tends to attract notice if too much of it's moved to the wrong people." Zell said, adding, "We'd just as soon not have anyone official poking their noses in if we could avoid it."

"At least not until you've got the monster situation settled so you _can_ get some official people in there without danger of them being attacked?" Quistis asked.

"Right." He confirmed, taking a sip at his beer.

Quistis did likewise, thinking him pleasant and even attractive, despite his being slightly shorter than her. But her initial impression, based mostly on his muscular appearance, led her to believe him rather light on intellect. She was disabused of that notion in very short order.

"It's too bad that the first survey team couldn't complete their report. The cataloguing of the flora and fauna are sketchy at best, and the geological survey is virtually non-existent. Good thing Squall sought to secure mineral rights on this property as well." Zell commented.

"How so?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

"Volcanic islands like this one can come with all sorts of mineral types…it's not unusual to find diamonds near dormant or extinct volcanos. I once saw a volcanic island that had an entire beach full of black diamonds." He answered her.

"Do you have a particular interest in geology then?" Quistis asked him curiously.

"Not geology so much as gemology. I make jewelry as a hobby." Zell answered, then added with a slightly sheepish smile, "I also have a thing for reading philosophy. These guys give me all kinds of shit about it, but the fact is, I _really_ like to read…"

Intrigued, Quistis asked, "Which philosophers have you read?"

* * *

Squall closed the door to the galley behind Rinoa, deliberately invading her space and subtly trapping her against it. Pressing his hand against the door next to her head, he leaned against it and into her, his intent plain by the way his gaze was fixated on her lips.

"I've never seen you wear that skirt before," He murmured, face close enough to hers that she felt the warmth of his breath against her cheek.

"I…I like it…just haven't had occasion to wear it for a while. And I thought you'd like it too." Rinoa replied softly. Heart pounding, she closed her eyes briefly as his lips brushed along her cheek in feather-light kisses. The kind that made her melt from the inside out.

His other hand, resting at her waist, traveled downward over her the curve of her butt, as he said, "You thought right." Pulling her close against him, his lips found hers and she surrendered to their gentle demand.

She twined her arms around his neck and half-sighed, half-moaned as his hand tightened on her backside and pressed her against his body. His tongue slid over hers as she opened her mouth to grant him access, the kiss becoming so hot and wet that she felt as though her whole body was turning molten in his arms.

They broke the kiss only when they needed to breathe, with Squall whispering breathlessly in her ear, "Holy Gods, Rin. I could take you right now….right fucking _now_ …"

"You have guests. Shouldn't we be cooking dinner…or something…" she murmured vaguely.

"Fuck dinner. Fuck guests…." He said, kissing her deeply once again.

"What about _me?_ " she whispered when he let her breathe again.

"What do _you_ think?" he asked, eyes glittering dangerously as he squeezed her backside again.

The thought that they might get caught, that they were not completely alone, gave her a scary sort of thrill. She knew that it wouldn't take much encouragement for Squall to do exactly what was in both of their minds. She already knew that he was okay with playing games…

Rinoa decided then that it might be fun to play with fire.

Reaching up, she gently took his earlobe into her teeth, biting it lightly before releasing it and whispering, "How about we start with a quickie?" She trailed her fingers lightly down his shirt to his jeans, undoing the top button.

"Gods," he gasped as she unzipped his pants and took hold of him. Rinoa moaned softly as his fingers did a similar exploration, then he moved her panties aside and pressed her up against the door, sliding inside of her with a single stroke.

And it _was_ quick. And hard, and hot, and despite its brevity, mind-blowing.

Rinoa's nails dug into his back as she did her best to bite back her moans while he thrust and retreated. Mindful of their potential audience they both did their best to be quiet, and were finding it damn difficult. Finally, Squall covered her lips with his and muffled her cries, as he gave her a hard push over the edge, and followed her down.

They came back to their senses breathless, hearts still pounding.

"Gods," Rinoa whispered breathlessly.

"Indeed." Squall agreed, resting his forehead briefly against hers, then kissing her gently. She constantly surprised him; her willing and even eager response, particularly in this context, was, well….mind-blowing. "I think we'd better actually cook dinner now." He added.

Rinoa gave him another deep kiss, along with the promise of more later after their guests had left, before they separated and started putting their clothing back to rights.

"Don't forget to wash your hands," She admonished. Squall snorted and turned on the sink.

"You too," he replied, beckoning her over.

* * *

The rubber lifeboat scraped against the sand as the breakers pushed it ashore, the weight of its passengers and cargo bearing it down. Squall leaped out first, grabbing the rope at the bow and hauling it higher up on the beach, while Zell and Irvine followed his example. Between the three of them, they got it well up onto the beach, above the high tide mark.

"Well," Irvine said, gazing around with interest. "This is quite lovely. Well done, man."

"I agree," Zell echoed, similarly looking around at the beach and the jungle beyond the sand.

"So, do we start hunting now or what?" Irvine asked, checking the magazine on the rifle he had slung over his back before shifting it back to its previous position.

"No," Squall answered. "We need to set up a secure camping spot first. Make sure all our supplies and ammo are within easy reach. Once that's done, we'll do a quick recon, say about a kilometer out and back, marking the route as we go."

"You've been here before, you said. Do you have a place in mind?" Zell asked.

"Yes, I do. Bout four hundred meters or so northeast of here. Cliffs, caves, and water close to hand." Squall answered.

"Lead on then, boss." Irvine said.

Squall snorted wryly at this, then said, "Help me secure this lifeboat first."

They puzzled a bit on how to do that, finally deciding to tie it fast to a tree before covering it and the extra supplies, weapons and ammunition that remained with a tarp and some foliage. Once the raft was secured, they each took a compass reading and marked their location before shouldering their packs, readying their weapons, and heading into the jungle.

Squall led them in, already knowing where they would make their camp. Instead of his gunblade though, what he was wielding was a large machete, hacking and slashing his way through the thick greenery and leaving a pathway for Irvine and Zell to follow.

"So, I know that the flora and fauna on this island wasn't fully catalogued, but was there anything documented at all? And what did you run across on your first visit?" Zell asked, wiping sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief that he then stuffed into a pocket on his shorts.

"Well, several species of 'normal' animals, birds, small mammals, reptiles, and the like. All of them apparently descended from or offshoots of similar species found in southwestern Galbadia." Squall answered, slashing at a vine that was hanging too low. "On the tour that I had with the real estate agent and the guide, we had three encounters. In less than two hours. First one was an adamantoise; pretty slow, so we were able to avoid it without having to engage. We caught a glimpse of a pack of grendels, and fortunately they didn't detect us. We _did_ however end up having to fight a blue wyvern. We killed it, but it was a pretty near thing. We decided to pack it in at that point."

"I take it that's not the plan this time around," Irvine stated.

"No. Unless one of us gets seriously injured, we're going to stay put for the next three days." Squall said firmly, hitching his pack up higher on his back. It was bloody heavy, filled with food and medical supplies of course, but also weighted down with what felt like a ton of lead.

Irvine and Zell's packs were similarly burdened. Everyone had an equal distribution of food and supplies; just in case they got separated, they'd all still be able to survive.

"Say, Zell, how'd you make out with that blonde chick the other night, anyway?" Irvine asked.

"You mean Quistis, right?" Zell responded.

"Yeah. Did you manage to close the deal with her?" Irvine asked.

Zell frowned at Irvine and answered, "first of all, she's not _just_ a 'blonde chick'. She's Rinoa's friend, _and_ a lawyer. _Our_ lawyer, as a matter of fact."

"So you didn't bang her then," Irvine stated.

"She's not my type." Zell defended.

"Since when are tall blondes not your type?" Irvine demanded. "You looked like you were getting pretty cozy with her to me."

"Yeah well, I _liked_ her. We had a really interesting discussion about Secartes, Arsede and Ancient Centran culture and philosophy." Zell said.

"You discussed _philosophy_ with her? That gorgeous creature?" Irvine asked incredulously. "What's wrong with you?"

"Dude, it was never going to happen! We're her _clients_! And she doesn't mess with her clients." Zell shot back in exasperation. "Anyway, what about you and that girl, Selphie? You looked pretty into her."

"Yeah well…" Irvine mumbled.

Zell snorted, "You too huh?"

"Hey, I didn't want to rush anything with her." Irvine protested.

Zell glanced over at him, surprised. A faint blush on Irvine's otherwise tanned cheeks deepened his amazement. "Well...this is a first. So you what? Just escorted her home and that was it?"

"Yep." Irvine answered.

"Did you ask her out?" Zell pressed.

"Of course I did! We're having dinner this coming Saturday." Irvine replied.

"Huh. Well that's…different. For you anyway." Zell commented.

"Well… _she's_ different. And I _like_ her." Irvine said.

"You like _all_ girls, Irvine." Squall piped up.

"She's different, okay? I can't explain it but…it's different." Irvine said lamely.

Squall shot a look back at Zell and quirked a half smile, then said, "Different is good." Zell opened his mouth to comment and Squall shook his head slightly. Let Irvine figure it out for himself. Zell subsided, looking thoughtful.

They reached the location that Squall intended for their camp about a half-hour later and immediately set about getting it set up. They started with the perimeter of the camp first, fanning out in a thirty meter radius and setting up laser warning beacons. Ten meters inward came hot tripwires, set up a half-meter from the ground and spaced at three meter intervals. Those were the most difficult to set up; Zell had to climb up the cliff side to mount a small solar panel that would help power the tripwire. Once it was turned on, a dim light on each post would warn of the electricity running through it. Incendiaries came next, five meters in from that. If anything made it through those wards, Squall, Zell and Irvine would have had more than adequate warning and be ready to deal with them directly.

Once the security measures had been completed, they pitched their tents and secured their foodstuffs with the simple expedient of hanging them in a tall tree within their camp perimeter. Irvine, returning from completing that chore, went in search of Squall, finding him peering thoughtfully into a nearby cave.

"I'm not too sure about this cave, Squall. Are you sure it's unoccupied?" Irvine asked him.

"I didn't see any evidence of anything living in here," He answered with a shrug.

"How far back did you look?" Irvine asked.

"As far as it goes. It's a pretty shallow, dry cave." Squall answered. "I figure if worst comes to worst, we can retreat back here and hold off pretty much anything."

"You want to store the ammo and weapons here then?" Irvine asked.

"Yeah." Squall answered.

"All right. I'll get Zell and we'll bring it all up from the beach." Irvine said.

While they were gone, Squall patrolled the campsite, making sure everything was set up and ready. The sound of falling water in the not too distant background was a soothing undertone to the colorful riot of birds that flitted through the jungle canopy, screeching and calling. The waterfall he'd discovered on his first visit there was just a few meters away, an easy source of water for them. Taking a small chem-kit from his pack, he went over to the pool that the waterfall thundered into, and took a sample, testing its purity. The results were encouraging, though there was some indication of possible amoebic contamination. Best to boil it or use purification tablets before drinking it.

There was a satisfyingly large pool at the bottom of the waterfall, and Squall could see fish swimming in the calmer parts of the pool and the creek that led out from it, heading toward the sea. The climate was almost tropical, though it wasn't quite in that latitude. It _was_ warm though, and owing to the profuse vegetation and the nearby water, humid.

Zell and Irvine arrived moments later and Squall told them about the water test while they were busy getting the remaining weapons, ammunition and other ordinance safely tucked into the cave.

"You know Irvine, I'm kind of surprised you didn't pester Squall about the other night like you did me," Zell commented as they stacked the extra rifles and shotguns in the back of the cave next to the bags and boxes of various types of shells and bullets.

"That's because I already know _he_ got laid. A blind man could see that," Irvine replied with a derisive snort. "And don't bother to deny it man," He added, looking over at Squall. "Commander Inscrutable has officially been retired, thanks to Rinoa."

"Oh, I wasn't going to deny it," Squall said mildly. "Why bother?" Then he frowned, "Commander Inscrutable? Really?"

"You didn't know? No, I guess not. Nobody had the balls to call you that where it'd get back to you. I'm sure you know why," Irvine answered.

"Yes." Squall _did_ know. Discipline in a military environment had to be based upon equal amounts of fear and respect. That meant that a commander could not be overly friendly with the lower ranks, nor could he be overly harsh. And disrespect _had_ to be dealt with, or it could lead to insubordination, and a breakdown in the cohesion of the unit.

And, thanks to training with Zell, Squall had had no problems with occasionally going toe to toe with the odd wannabe badass to get his point across. _Zell_ could best him in the ring, but there were few others who could. It was a surprise to those who thought his martial expertise was confined only to his gunblade. Squall could only hope that his short tenure as Balamb Garden's commander would be recalled for its balance of toughness and fairness.

He refrained from asking about it though. That chapter of his life was forever closed.

By the time they finished setting their Base Camp up to Squall's satisfaction, it was late afternoon, edging toward evening. Squall watched the deepening shadows and wondered if, as the day cooled toward evening, some of the monsters that roamed the island would wake to their night's activity. It was curious that they hadn't been attacked while they'd been working on setting things up, but Squall wasn't going to examine that bit of good fortune too closely.

"Think we ought to go on a recon to see what's out there?" Irvine asked, as they left the cave.

"Well, that _was_ the plan," Squall said, slipping the large cartridges his gunblade used into his ammo belts. Owing to the pack on his back, loaded down with extra pulse ammo, food and medical supplies, he'd strapped his gunblade's sheath to his hip. While he'd have preferred the back carry, the pack precluded it. It was a necessary precaution just in case he got separated from the group and was unable to make it back to camp. Irvine and Zell were similarly equipped.

"Let's go kill some nasties then," Irvine said, snapping a fresh clip into his rifle, cocking it, then slinging it over his shoulder and picking up his shotgun. He shoved about six shells into it and then loaded the bandolier strap attached to it with more shells. Zell had slipped on a pair of armored gauntlets, but was also, like Irvine, armed with a rifle.

After studying their preparations, Squall nodded to himself and then finally said, "Looks like we're ready. Let's go. I'll take point."

Irvine resettled his hat—a camo patterned bush hat that he'd opted to wear in place of his usual cowboy hat—and said gravely, "right behind you bro."

* * *

Squall had been careful to take a compass reading before setting out, and they were all careful to note landmarks and mark their route so that they could find their way back to camp. He wondered what creatures they'd encounter first. Grendels? Behemoths? Ochus? The semi-tropical environment suggested a high likelihood of the plant-based creatures like Ochu or grats…or possibly even Marlboro. He hadn't seen evidence of their existence in the area they were currently traversing, but that didn't mean that they weren't there. They were stealth hunters, and as such had natural camouflage that made them difficult to see until it was too late.

Grendels were pack hunters, like wolves. Tough to kill one-on-one, and well-nigh impossible to deal with in a pack. They were quick, agile, aggressively territorial and vicious, and possessed elemental magic as well as razor-sharp tailblades, teeth and claws.

Squall had managed to survive an attack by a mated pair once while in Esthar. He still didn't know how he'd killed them both. He considered it an extraordinary piece of luck that he had, though at the time hadn't even been certain that he'd survive the encounter. He did, fortunately, and the bounty on those particular creatures had been a rather handsome one, though he hadn't even intended to hunt them.

This time however, he had backup and was a little more prepared, should they encounter any grendels today.

There was no speech. Squall had already briefed Irvine and Zell on what they might possibly encounter, and so everyone was quiet and alert to their environment; no one wanted to be taken by surprise.

When the jungle suddenly fell silent, Squall froze, giving Irvine and Zell a silent signal to be ready. They immediately readied their weapons and took up positions back to back behind him, scanning the forest to see what might possibly be stalking them.

_Something_ undoubtedly was. Squall could hear it; the underbrush crackled and snapped under the tread of something heavy. He could hear its breathing; it snuffled as though trying to puzzle out their scent. He knew, whatever it was, it was close, but the thick vegetation hid it too well; it would be on top of them before they'd even get a look at it.

He raised his gunblade and cocked it, taking a ready stance and scanning the darkening forest, taut as a bowstring. And he waited.

It attacked from the side, going straight for Irvine who cursed in surprise and immediately pumped three shots into it. Zell whirled as Irvine dove out of the way and shot it twice himself, likewise diving to avoid the creature's seemingly unstoppable charge. Just as he had thought, the monster had been on them before they'd even properly seen it.

As Irvine and Zell regrouped, Squall leaped into the fray, slashing and dancing around the beast, looking for an opening for a final coupe de grace.

"What is that thing?" Irvine panted, abandoning the shotgun for his more powerful rifle and the armor-piercing bullets it contained.

"I dunno…Squall?" Zell asked, looking for an opening to dive in and help.

Unwilling to take his eyes off the creature, it moved so damn fast it was difficult to track; Squall simply grunted, " Worry about it later. Just help me kill it!" The beast snarled and charged, swiping a clawed paw at him. Squall dodged the attack and slashed at it, forcing the creature back.

Irvine took aim carefully, not wanting to hit Squall as he engaged in his deadly dance, and shot the monster three more times. Zell leaped in as well, putting his armored fists to good use, pummeling one of the creature's three heads. It snarled and whirled on him, and Zell gasped. Two of the "heads" were actually eyeless mouths, not even proper heads at all. They could still bite though, and Zell was hard put to avoid _three_ toothy maws snapping at him all at once.

Fortunately, having the monster's attention diverted by Zell's attack helped Squall find an opening. He'd already determined that there was only one _real_ head, so he went for that one, slashing his way through the snapping attacks of its two faux heads. It spat a stream of vile green fluid at him as he attacked, drenching him to the skin in reeking slime, but he still managed to sever its _actual_ head in a final, prodigious blow, firing the pulse round at the same time and killing the creature.

He staggered back, panting, and gagged at the smell of the stuff that it had spat on him, suddenly feeling nauseous.

"Whoa! What was that thing, anyway?" Zell asked, grimacing at the stench that suddenly rose from the carcass. And…was it _steaming_?

"I don't…" Squall began, attempting to answer, but suddenly pain exploded throughout his body and he dropped to his knees, screaming, and nerve endings suddenly afire.

"FUCK!" Irvine exclaimed. "Squall are you okay?"

"Shit! Irvine, it spat something at him! He's drenched in the stuff! It might be poison or acid or…" Zell said urgently. Turning to Squall he said, "Can you hear me?" at his nod, he continued, "You gotta take your clothes off man! It's mostly on them!"

"We need to get him to water, _quick_! We need to wash that crap off!" Irvine said.

"We also need to be careful not to get that shit on us! Wouldn't do anyone any good if we _all_ got a dose of it!" Zell said. Irvine nodded, swallowing.

Squall was writhing in pain, tearing at his clothes. Whatever it was, poison or acid, felt as though it was eating its way to his bones. He felt both hot and cold at the same time, and he curled into a fetal position, retching. Dimly, he heard Irvine and Zell's voices, urgently discussing something, felt hands lifting him, carrying him, then he drifted into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, I HAD intended on having this chapter, Chapter XX, actually be sex-free. I thought it would be hilariously ironic if i did that...however, THESE two, (looking at YOU, Squall and Rinoa) had other ideas. No doubt about it, they're completely NUTS about each other. Now moving things along, and they're hunting.. and the unexpected, as always, happens. More stuff from here, a bit of romance, a bit of fluff...a bit of drama (there's a ball still to write, and ms. Skanky pants isn't COMPLETELY out of the picture...)...and, who knows, i may actually FINISH this at some point. Meanwhile, enjoy this, and I'll keep plugging along on this and my other stories (one of which I haven't actually posted yet...not sure of when I'll do that...) so...enjoy!


	21. Chapter 21

Squall surfaced sometime later, feeling distinctly like he was fighting his way out of stinking sludge. His skin burned and itched, his mouth tasted vile, and he smelled….unbelievable.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, commander." Irvine's voice drawled.

Squall blinked his eyes open and had to squint a bit before they adjusted to the flickering firelight. Once they did, he focused on Irvine, who sat next to him. They'd laid his bedding on the ground next to the fire, for some reason, and Irvine had a pot of spring water and a cloth, and a rapidly fading expression of concern on his face.

"Not commander anymore," He mumbled, tongue feeing thick, and his mouth dry.

"Here." Irvine handed him a full water bottle.

Squall eyed it warily, asking, "Boiled?"

"Purifying tablets. Boiling would take too long." Irvine answered.

Squall grimaced and drank deeply, suddenly feeling very dehydrated.

"You weren't kidding when you said it was dangerous here," Irvine said. "Zell and I were both pretty worried that we'd have to sail your boat home by ourselves and explain what happened to your girlfriend."

"Well, that's why I asked you guys along. I knew I could count on you." Squall shifted and frowned at his arm, which looked reddened and irritated. The rest of his skin, his torso in particular, was in a similar case. It looked almost as though he'd gotten a really bad sunburn….in patches.

"Is this from that slime that…three-headed lizard thing spat at me?" Squall asked.

"Zell's been calling it a tri-face. And yeah. We weren't sure if it was some kind of bio-acid or venom or both." Irvine answered.

"Why am I naked?" Squall asked. What the hell had happened to his clothes?

"They were saturated with the stuff. They had to come off. You'd started taking them off yourself but the poison got the better of you, so we had to help." Irvine answered.

"So, what happened? What did you do? Whatever it was, it worked." Squall asked.

"How are you feeling?" Irvine asked.

"Like I've been dipped in acid and thrown into a sewer." Squall answered, then adding with a grimace, "I _smell_ like it too."

"Yeah well," Irvine said, coughing to hide what had sounded suspiciously like a laugh. Squall narrowed his eyes suspiciously at this but remained silent.

Finally Irvine relented, saying, "We needed to wash that stuff off you, and had a hard time with it. Didn't have nearly enough water with us and things were getting pretty desperate. No way did we have time to drag you four hundred plus meters to the beach or back to the waterfall here at camp."

"So what did you do?" Squall asked him.

"Well, Zell figured since it was acidic, and like maybe was a kind of molecular venom…" Irvine began when Zell interrupted.

"Hey, it wasn't just _me_!" He protested. "And it _did_ work!"

"What did you do?" Squall asked again, growing suspicious, and eyeing them both in turn. What he saw didn't encourage him.

"Um…" Irvine began, exchanging an uncomfortable glance with Zell and clearing his throat. Finally he answered, "We…uh… we peed on you."

"You peed on me." Squall echoed, then repeated, at a higher volume, "You _peed_ on me?"

"Hey, it worked!" Zell said, "I was kind of hoping that the stuff was sorta like jellyfish venom and…"

"You peed on me! I can't believe you _peed_ on me! Didn't you see the medicine in my pack? In _all_ of our packs?" Squall demanded.

"Well, uh…" Irvine began and Zell finished sheepishly, "We sorta…forgot about it. I'll admit it, we panicked."

"Speak for yourself chocobo-head." Irvine said. Zell glared at him, arms firmly crossed.

"Oh, my Gods…" Squall said in disgust. "I'm going to go take a bath."

Squall climbed to his feet, far more slowly than he would have liked. Still, he did manage to walk more or less steadily to the pool.

"You'd better not pass out in there and drown, 'cause I ain't givin' you mouth to mouth!" Irvine called after him.

Squall answered that comment with a single, upraised middle finger. Irvine and Zell both burst out laughing.

* * *

Rinoa tossed Angelo's squeaky toy again half-heartedly, sending the dog bolting after it with a happy bark. This was Day Two of Squall's hunting/exploration trip to his island, and despite the frightening array of weapons and ammunition that he'd left with, she was still worried. She tried not to think about what might possibly go wrong and focused on the fact that he'd be returning tomorrow evening.

In the meantime, her PR job with the Bears was certainly keeping her busy. Her first official date with Squall had been a playoff game that they'd won. They'd had a bye the following week, then the playoffs resumed with a second-round game against Esthar, which they'd won. Rinoa had been working furiously since to promote the games, which had resulted in more than a few late nights.

That had played into the amount of time, or lack thereof lately, that she and Squall had spent together. Occasionally, she had to pull some late nights getting post-game interviews lined up with the players, double-checking the ad copy and promotional materials to make sure they were up to snuff, and putting out the inevitable fires that sprung up at a moment's notice.

Now things had ratcheted up to a fever pitch as the Bears had managed to make it to the final championship game...scheduled at home against the defending champions, the Trabia Snowlions, the coming weekend. Squall was planning to see it with her, and was fully as _excited_ about it as she was. As busy as she'd been in the lead up to the game, at least it kept her distracted, though she still missed him dreadfully and couldn't wait for his return the following evening.

"Hi Rinoa," a female voice addressed her pleasantly, and Rinoa stifled a sigh, recognizing it.

"Hi Kaylee." Rinoa responded without enthusiasm.

"No boyfriend today?" Kaylee asked, curiously.

"No, he's working." Rinoa answered reluctantly. She really didn't want to talk to Kaylee, and her obvious fishing was downright annoying. Rinoa had no interest in providing the girl with _any_ ammunition that she might have a use for.

Angelo trotted back, mouthing her toy happily to the tune of its shrieking squeaks. Rinoa took it from her and tossed it again.

"Again? Too bad," Kaylee said insincerely. "He's been gone a few days now, hasn't he?"

"Yes." Rinoa said, sighing. "It's been busy for both of us."

"What's he do for a living, anyway? I could never get him to talk to me," Kaylee said.

_That's because he can't stand you_ … Rinoa thought, then answered "Oh…he's self-employed."

"Doing what?" Kaylee pressed.

Rinoa huffed slightly in exasperation, asking, "And this interests you why?"

Kaylee shrugged, strolling nonchalantly toward a nearby tree and leaning back against it. Rinoa didn't know if the girl was deliberately trying to be provocative or if it was simply part of her nature. Certainly the expression on her face, all innocence on the surface, with sly calculation hiding behind her eyes, did nothing to inspire Rinoa to confide in her.

"He's a mystery," Kaylee answered finally. "I can't peg him. His accent is from Balamb but he's come here from Esthar, from what I've heard. He keeps odd hours; not your usual nine-to- five guy. And he looks slightly dangerous, with that scar. He could be anything, from a sailor, to a soldier, to a cop to…a spy. I'm simply curious." She finished with a shrug.

"And again, I'm wondering why this interests you?" Rinoa asked her coolly.

Kaylee met Rinoa's gaze, green eyes icily challenging, and asked her in turn, "How long have you two been dating now? Two months? Three?" When Rinoa didn't answer, Kaylee shrugged and said, "Surely you've been together long enough now for the 'L' word to have popped up."

Rinoa swallowed. Kaylee was right, and while it had been very much in _her_ mind….she could only guess at what was in Squall's.

She hadn't said _it_ to him, nor had he said it to her. She knew what she felt for him; it throbbed to the beat of her heart, a soft, heavy weight, a joyous ache, a craving need that had settled deep into her bones. She loved him.

She was less certain of Squall's part of the equation. Certainly, he'd never made her feel that he didn't care for her; his attraction was obvious. She had no doubts where the physical part of their relationship was concerned. And he seemed to enjoy her company even when there wasn't sex involved. He was by turns affectionate, gallant and romantic. At times anyway. He did tend toward broodiness on occasion, and she had seen hints of his temper, though they'd yet to have an actual fight.

But no, for whatever reason, the "L" word had not yet turned up.

"He hasn't said it yet, has he?" Kaylee asked. Her exaggerated innocence made Rinoa suddenly want to slap her.

Rinoa clenched her teeth, but was saved from having to respond by Angelo, who returned with her toy, dropping it at her feet and sitting down, panting happily.

"Maybe he's waiting for something _better_ to come along." Kaylee said snidely, strolling off.

_Well, it sure as hell isn't you!_ Rinoa thought, glaring after her. Pocketing Angelo's toy, she clipped the lead back onto her collar and led her home.

Squall had never given Rinoa any reason to think that he didn't care for her. He'd quit his job and moved to Deling City for her. He might frame it as a change that was a long time coming, and perhaps that was the truth. But it was also true that she'd been the driving force behind it; he'd admitted as much. That argued that more than just a simple fling, a momentary infatuation was at work. A man doesn't just make such drastic changes based solely on the physical aspects of a relationship, regardless of how spectacular it may be.

So she knew he cared about her, he was just taking his time arriving at the conclusion that he LOVED her. And really, that was something that should not be rushed. Hard as it was for her, she'd wait for him to arrive at that acknowledgment on his own.

But there was a small part of her that felt the seed of doubt that Kaylee had planted, start to burrow deep into her mind and heart, and hated her for it.

* * *

"So what's our talley today?" Irvine asked, sitting down next to the cheerily burning campfire.

Squall, who was busy cooking their dinner for the night, shrugged and replied, "Ask Zell, he's the one keeping score."

"Yeah, and if I weren't, you wouldn't remember even half of the beasties we'd fought over the last two days." Zell supplied, notebook open on his lap, pen in hand.

"That's one of the reasons I brought you guys. I can't be expected to think of _everything_." Squall said.

"Well, you weren't kidding about the monsters here. This is a dream for big-game adventurers. I'll bet we could convince some of our SeeD buddies to come here for some sun, sand and monster hunting." Zell said.

"That's not a bad idea. Guided adventure hunts…for say, four hundred gil a head?" Irvine speculated.

"I'd been thinking along those lines but do you think anyone would pay that much for a hunting trip?" Squall asked.

"And let's not forget about liability. What if someone gets hurt?" Zell added.

"Might have to run that by Ms. Delectable Lawyer Trepe," Irvine said with a wolfish grin.

Squall shrugged, "there's always liability insurance and release forms. So long as it's understood that they're hunting here at their own risk. But, yeah, I'll talk to Ms. Trepe about it."

"Going by what we've encountered just in the last couple of days, Squall, we shouldn't have any problems with the fee. The trophies we've taken so far are _amazing_. The dragonhide alone is worth a mint." Zell said, jotting down some information in his notebook.

"Well, we certainly earned it," Squall said, handing a bowl to Irvine and Zell before filling one for himself and sitting down.

"No joke there," Irvine said with a sigh, taking a bite of his dinner and reaching over for his bottle of water and taking a drink.

"Okay, so far the tally is: one tri-face thingy, one blue dragon, two wendigos, a huge behemoth, two thrustavis, four ochus and about a half-dozen grats. For trophies we've got the horns, teeth, claws and hide of the behemoth and the blue dragon, and the hides of the wendigos. We also have the pollen and the tentacles from the ochus, and the sleep-spores from the grats. Should be able to sell all of that for a tidy sum." Zell said.

"Cool. Split it three ways?" Irvine asked. Zell and Squall nodded. "I was kinda hopin' we'd be able to bring back some good trophies and stuff."

"There'll be plenty more where that came from." Squall said.

"Yeah, you weren't kidding when you said this place is lousy with monsters. _Tough_ ones, too! That dragon had me really worried that we wouldn't make it." Zell commented, adding, "That medicine you brought from Esthar is a real lifesaver, that's for sure."

"I wish you'd remembered it _before_ you guys peed on me," Squall grumbled. Zell and Irvine both snorted, and then gave in and started laughing in earnest at Squall's glare. Squall just shook his head and grabbed his water bottle for a drink.

They lapsed into silence as the fire burned down, listening to the nighttime sounds of the jungle around them. There was a high, bright moon but it was waning, throwing its dim, cool light against the thick canopy of the trees with little effect. The perpetual rushing splash of the waterfall added a droning undertone to the buzzes and clicks and chirps that ensured that the night would not be bereft of music. The water lent freshness to the night as well, adding its cool scent to the rich bouquet of volcanic earth, and semi-tropical greenery.

Squall looked around at what the flickering firelight revealed, liking it more and more. He'd thought the island beautiful on his first, somewhat hasty visit, and now that he'd spent more than a couple of nights there, he concluded that yes, he could indeed live there. Of course, that had more or less been the plan all along….more now, since he'd met Rinoa.

"When are we leaving tomorrow?" Irvine asked.

"First light." Squall answered.

"Anxious to get home to Rinoa, aren't you?" Irvine asked.

Squall hesitated, then gave himself a mental kick to get over his ingrained impulse to deflect, avoid, _deny_ what he felt. There was no longer any reason to hide the fact that he was seeing someone and that he cared for her. He was no longer in a position where that mattered. Where it could be a liability. Where it could be dangerous for either him or for her.

"Yes," he finally answered.

"That...is awesome." Zell said softly, smiling at Squall. "I never thought I'd see you actually dating, much less be _this_ gone over a girl. How'd you two meet anyway? I don't believe you ever mentioned it."

"There's a _lot_ of things he ain't mentioned," Irvine drawled. "Like what you did for money over the last two years while you were helping Ellone out. Chemo treatments ain't cheap. Especially in Esthar."

Squall hesitated again, but for entirely different reasons. He _hadn't_ been very forthcoming toward his friends with regards to his recent past and his current present, particularly where it touched on his financial matters. And no, he'd said nothing at all about how he and Rinoa had met.

And friends, being friends, would want to know. It was simple human nature. Everyone wanted to hear the whole romantic "boy meets girl and falls head over heels in love" story. Squall had thought he'd dodged the necessity of explaining how everything had come about because Rinoa's friends already knew. He hadn't thought that Irvine and Zell would also be curious about it.

It wasn't an easy thing to explain either. He wasn't _ashamed_ of what he'd done in the past, but he knew that there _were_ some people that would have a problem with it. He didn't think Zell or Irvine would, but….they _would_ give him a lot of shit for it. Irvine in particular.

Finally, he decided to proceed with caution, answering, "Well, we met through my work."

"And here's where you elaborate and tell me exactly _what_ kind of work it was that you were doing." Irvine stated firmly. He folded his arms across his chest and waited, watching Squall expectantly. Zell simply nodded in agreement and leaned forward on the log he was sitting on, elbows on his knees.

Squall sighed, the nodded, "Yeah, okay." Taking a sip of water to gather his thoughts, he continued, "I worked for a spa resort in northern Esthar, called The Golden Chocobo Ranch, as head of security and part-time concierge."

"You worked as a concierge at a resort? Really?" Zell asked incredulously, trying to wrap his mind around the idea that Squall had once stood at a hotel's front desk all day, attempting to smile and be pleasant.

Irvine however, had an entirely different reaction.

"You gotta be kiddin' me. You worked _there_? As a _concierge_?" He asked, grinning widely. "How the hell did _that_ come about?"

"I take it you've heard of the place. Why does this not surprise me?" Squall asked, rolling his eyes. Irvine simply laughed at his reaction.

"Ok, somehow, I'm getting the idea that 'concierge' in this case, is _not_ what I think it is," Zell said.

"No, it isn't." Squall said shortly. Zell raised his eyebrows and waited expectantly, while Irvine looked on, trembling lips only just holding in his amusement.

Sighing, and giving Irvine a dirty look, Squall continued, "In Esthar, prostitution is legal. You get a license, you have to pass a blood test every two weeks, and they tax the hell out of it. A concierge is pretty much the same thing as an escort, only within the confines of the resort." He paused, waiting as that information sunk in.

"Wait. So does this mean that you were…" Zell began.

"Yes."

" _Really_?"

"Yes."

"I don't believe it. You?" Zell asked, still not convinced that this wasn't simply an elaborate joke.

"Believe it Zell. Squall was a whore for two years!" Irvine finally said, unable to restrain himself any longer and bursting into laughter again.

"Not exactly two years, and not _just_ a whore. A _concierge,_ which is…a bit different." Squall clarified.

"A high-class whore then," Irvine said with a shrug. Squall glared at him.

"How is it different?" Zell asked curiously, "and how does Rinoa enter into it? Did she hire you?"

"Because I was paid for my _time_. I taught self-defense as part of my job, kind of as an offshoot to my head of security gig and also part of the role I played as concierge. I catered to my clients' fantasies, whatever they might be, and made sure that their entire visit to the spa was as enjoyable as possible. Whatever they wanted to do, I arranged for them: golfing, snorkeling, a day being pampered in at the spa, fine dining and entertainment, and yes, sex, if that was what they wanted. For however long my time was paid for, I was theirs, and would do whatever they wanted me to do, barring certain limits which I made sure my client was aware of before anything got started." Squall elaborated.

"What limits? I thought if they paid you, you had to do what they wanted." Irvine asked.

"We had the right to refuse a client and refund the fee if we felt it necessary." Squall told him, then continued, "Each concierge has his preferences listed, and each woman would be directed to choose from a specific list of men who would best match what she was looking for. My preference listed blonds, no fetishes, open to kink but no men. And I preferred one on one, threesomes can get ….complicated." Squall said. Irvine's mouth simply dropped open in shock and he stared at Squall, momentarily speechless.

"Open to kink? What the hell does that even mean?" Irvine asked after finally finding his voice again, staring at Squall as though he'd grown a new head. That one phrase was more than enough for him to see his former commander and friend in an entirely new light. Obviously, Squall had kept a _lot_ of things to himself.

"Mainly that I'm willing to be adventurous. Role-playing, costumes, maybe a little BDSM, though I'm really not that into it. Most of the time, it's what happens between the ears that gets a woman off, rather than between the sheets. Play to _that_ , and no matter what you end up doing, she'll be satisfied." Squall replied with a shrug.

"Okay, so that's interesting and all, and you obviously got a serious education in…well seduction. I think you could give Irvine a run for his money at this point. But how does Rinoa figure into this?" Zell asked again.

"I was her birthday present, essentially." Squall answered simply.

"Wait. So she just…what? Picked you out of a catalogue and… _bought_ you?" Zell asked incredulously.

"No," Squall answered shortly, giving Irvine another glare as he guffawed again at Zell's reaction. "Her friends hired me. It was basically just a big mix-up. They had no idea that they'd sent Rinoa to a brothel/resort and bought my services, while _I_ wasn't even supposed to be available. I'd requested the weekend off."

"Really?" Irvine asked, interested. "So, this was just a weird twist of fate then?"

"Yeah, you could say that," Squall replied, thoughtfully.

Zell, a romantic at heart, smiled wistfully and asked, "So, what happened, when you first saw her? What was your first thought?"

"That I was going to kill Marti because I wasn't supposed to have a client that weekend." Squall answered. Zell sighed in disappointment and he replied, "Hey, you asked."

"Pretty safe to say then that it wasn't love at first sight. Right?" Irvine asked, and Squall nodded agreement.

"What was your second thought?" Zell asked again.

Squall sighed, recalling that first meeting, and answered, "That I was in _big_ trouble."

"Yep, you definitely are, bro." Irvine said with a smirk.

"So, Rinoa's friends hired you to basically give Rinoa the best weekend of her life. And you fell for her after one weekend?" Zell asked, puzzled.

"She must have been really good in bed…" Irvine began, to be interrupted sharply by Squall, "I refused her."

"What? Why?" Irvine asked, confused.

Squall frowned and gazed toward the waterfall, finally answering, "She had no idea what I'd been hired for. She though it was just a spa weekend with some self-defense training provided by me. And….she was a virgin. I couldn't…" his voice trailed off and he swallowed, then continued, "I refused, that first night, and refunded her money. The _next_ night though…. _she_ seduced _me_."

"So, you _weren't_ paid to have sex with her then? It just sorta…happened?" Zell asked.

"Yes. There's a reason why I stipulated only blonds, on my list of preferences. I'm not made of stone, Zell. I'm very attracted to petite brunettes, and that, coupled with …well, _her_ …. I was lost." _And I have been ever since…_ Squall answered softly.

"Yeah, well that's romantical and all, but now you mean to tell me you've fallen head over heels in love with a brunette virgin because you were her first lover? And don't deny it, because it's written all over your face." Irvine said.

"I won't. I can't. And it makes no more sense to me than it does to you. It just is." Squall said with a shrug.

"Have you told her?" Zell asked him.

Squall looked over at him, then slowly shook his head, "No. No I haven't."

"Perhaps you should. Women like to hear stuff like that. They like to know that they matter to you." Zell said seriously.

"She knows. I'm sure she does. I show her, whenever I'm with her…" Squall defended.

"You should _tell_ her." Zell urged.

"I agree." Irvine said.

Squall looked from one to the other, suddenly feeling cornered. And very surprised that Irvine was backing Zell's assertion. Not the playboy sniper's usual stance on that particular subject, that's for certain. The fire, burned down mostly to coals, popped suddenly, its sharp report echoing in the _not quite_ silence of the night. He _should_ tell Rinoa how he felt. He'd tried, by degrees, but …..the words weren't quite there. He'd never been very good at that sort of thing, though Ellone had told him more than once that it simply took practice.

Irvine's voice interrupted his thoughts as he asked, "So…BDSM huh? You _like_ getting tied up and whipped?"

"It's called flogging and no. I told you I'm not that into it. If a client expresses an interest in that area, she's sent to a professional Dom. They're registered and regulated and have even more rules to follow than I did. Mostly, it was just blindfolds and silk scarves and I was the one in charge." Squall explained.

"Kinky." Irvine replied with a smirk.

Squall snorted, "Not even close."

"Sounds kinky to me," Zell added with a shrug.

"I still can't get over the fact that you were _paid_ to have sex with beautiful women and you _quit_. It just boggles my mind. I mean, yeah, you obviously love Rinoa but… wow. Just, wow." Irvine said, shaking his head.

"It was only ever meant as a means to earn extra money so I could recover what I spent on Ellone's treatments. I never intended to do it as a career for the rest of my life. I won't deny that I _enjoyed_ it, for the most part. But I didn't want to do it forever." Squall said.

"And then Rinoa came along." Zell said.

Squall nodded, "And everything changed."

Irvine smiled at him slightly, and said, "Yeah, it certainly did."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes. I am EVIL...(muahahahha!) sooo... didn't manage an update of THIS story for Squall's birthday, which if you fellow fangeeks remember, was Saturday. I did manage to update Dragonfire though. So at least I did SOMETHING. More fun is coming, maybe a little bit of friction (and not the good kind...) and then...i dunno if i want it on this next chapter or somewhere down the line, that Ball...Which trust me, is going to have a LOT of stuff happening there! anyway, enjoy, and I'll catch ya'all on the next update.. whenever that might be...


	22. Chapter 22

Wing Heart sailed into Galbadia's South Harbor just as the sun blazed into its full glory over the sea. Squall steered her carefully through the throng of departing fishing and recreational craft that was heading out to sea, making for his home slip. He'd reefed the sails as they reached the heavier traffic of the port, turning to engine power for the higher degree of maneuverability that it afforded. He aimed the bow at his slip and throttled back, letting the boat's momentum carry it into its space.

It bumped gently against the bollards as Irvine and Zell each grabbed the fore and aft lines and leaped to the wharf and made the boat fast. Once that was done they both climbed back aboard and gathered their belongings, preparing to depart.

"Well, that was pretty awesome!" Irvine said, walking toward Squall and meeting him amidships, then reaching out to grab and shake his hand roughly.

"Yeah, we had a total blast!" Zell agreed, supplying a fist bump of his own.

"So when are we doing this again?" Irvine asked.

Squall shrugged,"Can you guys come back Monday morning? I'm going to take the next couple of days to talk with Quistis about your idea for guided hunts, Irvine, and see what kind of legal stuff we'd need to be prepared for. And spend time with Rinoa of course."

Irvine chuckled, "Of course."

"And _you've_ got a date with that cute Selphie girl, right Irvine?" Zell asked, giving him a friendly buffet on the shoulder.

"Yeah, I do," Irvine answered with a grin.

"Well, have fun guys. See you Monday." Squall said, giving them both a sketchy wave as they left his boat.

Left to himself finally, he checked his watch and sighed. Rinoa was at work, and it would be hours before she was back. Glancing around his boat, he found more than enough that needed to be done to keep him occupied in the meantime. So thinking, he set to work putting the boat to rights and tidying up the deck and cabin.

He was wiping down the woodwork in the galley with [orange oil](https://www.fanfiction.net/story/story_preview.php?storyid=8580167&chapter=22/#) (he liked the smell, and the wood looked lovely afterward), when his cellphone rang. He paused in his activities long enough to register the number on the screen, and answered it with a grin.

"Hey sis, how's it going?"

"Not too bad, how about you? I haven't heard from you for awhile and was wondering how you were getting on," Ellone replied.

"Busy. Cell reception sucks once I'm out on the water. I'd need a satellite phone for that. It's easier and way less expensive to just use the radio when I'm sailing, but it would have to be relayed through the harbor master's office." Squall answered.

"So you're out on the water a lot then?" Ellone asked.

"Yeah. Plus I've just spent the last three days on my island, and there's no cell service there either." Squall answered.

"How is it so far?" Ellone asked.  
"It's beautiful. And deadly. I was nearly killed by what Zell is calling a tri-face my first day there." Squall answered. "I knew it was going to take a lot of work but even I was surprised by what we found there."

"I'm glad you've reconnected with your friends then. It's good you've got someone to help you with this. Sounds like it's going to take a long time before you can even start developing it properly." Ellone said.

"Yeah, it will. In the meantime though, Irvine suggested guided adventure hunts as a way to generate a bit of revenue and get some additional help with the monsters. Not too far out of line from what I'd been thinking of doing myself. So I'm going to give my lawyer a call to see what I'd need in order to make that a reality." Squall said.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that, and it's wonderful to hear you so excited about it! I can't wait until I get to see the island. Please send me some pictures of it when you can?" Ellone asked.

"Certainly. I'm sure either I or the guys have some pictures to share. I'll check with them." Squall said, picking up his polishing cloth and giving the cabinet door one last swipe before moving on to the next piece of woodwork.

"Please do, I'd love to see anything you have to share." Ellone replied. Then she asked, "How are things going with Rinoa?"  
"Fine, she's at work right now so I'm puttering around the boat, putting everything to rights. I'll see if I can convince her to stay the weekend here with me or something." Squall answered, touring the cabin, putting things away and gathering up his laundry. He really should wash his bedsheets if wanted Rinoa over for the weekend...

"I'm glad. It does my heart good to hear you so happy."

Squall frowned slightly at this, and at Ellone's audible sigh, "I _am_ happy...and excited and a little stressed but, yeah. I'm enjoying what I'm doing because it's something I'd wanted to do for a long time. But, what about you sis? You sound a little down."

"I just miss you, that's all. And I'd really love to meet Rinoa." Ellone said.

"Then come up. I can put you up in my boat, or you can stay with Rinoa or something. She's been wanting to meet you too. We'd both love to have you visit." Squall said, adding, "If cost is a problem, just say so and I'll have a plane ticket waiting for you, anytime you want to go."

"Thanks little brother. I'll have to check my work schedule, but I might just take you up on that." Ellone said warmly. Then she added, "It's getting late, I'd better go. I'll talk to you later Squall. Love you."

"Love you too sis." Squall answered.

"See, that isn't that hard after all," Ellone commented.

"What?" Squall asked, confused.  
Ellone laughed softly, "Never mind. You have a good day Squall. Talk to you later."

"Later then," He responded and disconnected the call, frowning at the phone for a moment before pocketing it and continuing with his tidying up, mulling over who he might call next. Quistis, certainly, to go over some legal questions he had. He also needed to start looking into surveyors, geologists, environ-science geeks and anyone else that may or may not need to be involved in the process of turning his island into a place to live. No, this wasn't something that would happen overnight.

Leaving the cabin, he walked back out onto the deck, gazing around and pronouncing himself satisfied that the little sloop was now shipshape. Wood and metalwork both gleamed from recent cleaning and polishing, everything that didn't need to be out on deck was properly stowed, sails reefed and tied down, lines coiled, boat tied securely at dock and bumping gently against the bollards.

Pulling his cellphone from his pocket, he sat down on one of his deck chairs and dialed a number, then waited as it rang and was answered.  
"Hello," He said. "This is Squall Leonhart. I'd like to speak with Miss Trepe for a moment. Is she available?"

* * *

It had been a very long day. Rinoa sighed as she walked up the stairs toward her apartment, rubbing at the back of her neck and wishing that Squall was waiting for her, ready with a neck massage. She supposed he was back in port by now but had been so busy putting out press releases (and fires) that she hadn't had a chance to call him. And while he _did_ have a key, she didn't want to simply assume blithely that he' d be there, particularly because her hours had been so erratic in the lead-up to the Cup game that Saturday.

So when she opened the door to see him sitting casually on her couch, working away on his laptop computer, she wanted to weep with both joy and relief. He glanced up at Angelo's happy, butt wiggling greeting and smiled briefly, then returned his attention to whatever he was working on, saving it and closing the laptop. Then he set the computer aside, rose from the couch and approached her.

"Long day," He commented, padding soundlessly on bare feet toward her.

"Very," She sighed. The she sighed again as his arms came around her and he hugged her close, enveloping her in his warmth.

"I missed you," he whispered into her hair.

The sheer tenderness in his voice made her want to weep, and she whispered back, "Me too."

He tightened his arms around her for a moment, kissing her hair, then loosened his hold and stood back, asking, "have you eaten dinner yet? I was going to make something for you tonight but when you didn't show at your usual time, I figured you'd gotten caught up in something. I guess things are getting kind of hectic with the Bears getting ready for the Cup, aren't they?"

"You could say that," Rinoa nodded, then she tilted her head to one side and asked curiously, "So what did you eat for dinner then?"

"Nothing much, a bit of cheese, a glass of wine...I waited dinner for you." He answered her. "I prepared it, but haven't actually cooked it yet. It'll be just a few minutes though, and we can both eat."

"That sounds wonderful, thank you," Rinoa said with a happy sigh.

Leaning forward, Squall gave her a soft, gentle and utterly sweet kiss, then pulled back and replied, "You're welcome. Now," he added, caressing her cheek, "why don't you go sit down and relax a bit while I get dinner going?"

"All right," Rinoa said with a smile, crossing the room to her couch, sitting down and kicking off her shoes. Squall turned away, moving silently into the kitchen and reappearing moments later with a glass of wine, which he handed to her.

"Thank you," She sighed, taking a sip and sighing again at the flavors. Merlot. A very nice one at that. She didn't remember purchasing it either, which meant that Squall had.

Within a few moments, she heard sounds of industry taking place, and she craned her neck around to see what Squall was up to, asking him, "So how was your day today?"

"Not as busy as yours," he answered from the kitchen. "I knew you were at work when I pulled into port, so I took care of some stuff on the boat. Housekeeping, mostly. Then I called Quistis to ask her a few things about my island and some ideas that the guys and I were discussing."

"Oh? What ideas?" Rinoa asked, intrigued.

"We'd had the idea of doing guided adventure hunts on the island, as a means to generate revenue while helping to deal with the monsters on it. It'll take some doing to work out the logistics, and I had to talk with Quistis about liability and the legalities of that sort of thing." Squall answered, still working busily in the kitchen while mouth watering aromas started drifting into the living room area.

"That smells really good. What are you cooking?" Rinoa asked. Angelo sat up from her previously recumbent position at Rinoa's feet, ears pricked and nose twitching, obviously interested in the goings on in the kitchen as well. From the dog's relaxed attitude, Rinoa guessed that Squall had taken her out for her walk when he'd gotten there. Yet one more thing that had her falling a little bit more in love with him every day.

"A couple of steaks and some broccoli I picked up at the market on my way over. I figured I'd just wait for you here, cook you dinner, and generally woo you into bed with me." Squall answered.

"Think I'm that easy, do you?" Rinoa asked with a smile.

A chuckle came from the kitchen where Squall had momentarily ducked out of sight, and he replied, "I'm hoping so. How are my chances looking?"

"Pour me another glass of wine and I'll let you know." she answered. A quiet snort sounded from the kitchen, and Squall reappeared moments later with the wine bottle in hand.

"Dinner's almost ready," he told her, pouring the wine.

She took a sip and sighed, feeling her tensions begin to melt away. She already knew Squall wouldn't have to work hard to get her into bed. She was as eager to be there with him as he was.

Dinner was served moments later, and Rinoa found herself surprised anew at how good it tasted, asking him, "I thought your cooking skills were limited to eggs?"

"I can throw meat on the fire and manage not to burn it, and for the most part, I'm okay with cooking some vegetables too. I don't have much skill with anything more complicated than that though." He answered taking a bite of the meat.

"Well, this turned out wonderfully. Thanks for cooking dinner for me, I had no idea you'd be willing or able to do that. I didn't even really expect you to be here. I hadn't heard anything from you about coming over tonight." She said.

"I _did_ call, but it went to voice-mail," Squall pointed out, adding, "I decided to just go ahead and come over. And yes, I did take Angelo out."

"I appreciate that. I'm sure she does too." Rinoa said.

"She appeared to," Squall replied.

Rinoa smiled at that, and asked, "So, you have this entire weekend off?"

Squall nodded, "then its back to the island Monday."

Rinoa bit her lip and asked, "For how long this time?"

Squall frowned slightly, thinking about that, before answering, "I'd planned on a week. Depends on how things go for us though. I may end up coming back midweek again."

Rinoa sighed wistfully, "I really wish I could actually visit it. You didn't happen to have taken any pictures while you were there, did you?"

"I might have one or two. Needed some pictures of the critters we'd killed so I could show them to a biologist." Squall answered, adding, "We're trying to get as much photographic information on the flora and fauna that we can for classification purposes. Once we know what we're dealing with, we can settle things down enough to get a team of actual surveyors in there to get the island properly surveyed and help me find a good spot to build on."

"Build? Like what, a house?" Rinoa asked, intrigued .

"Something like that," Squall answered, quickly changing the subject and saying, "anyway, here are a couple of the monsters we killed on this go-round." He had fished out his phone while talking to her, pulled up the pictures in question and handed it to her.

"EWWW!" Rinoa exclaimed at the first picture. "What _is_ that? It's _ugly_!"

"That first one there?" Squall asked her. When she confirmed with a nod, he answered, "Zell calls it a tri-face. Nasty bugger. Spits acidic poison."

"Really? I've never seen anything like this before, how did you find _that_ out?" Rinoa asked, curiously.

"Because I got drenched in the stuff when I killed it." Squall answered, watching her reaction closely.

Rinoa stared at him, fear settling in the pit of her stomach. How could she have forgotten how _dangerous_ this project of his was? She forced herself to calm down and studied him instead. He appeared to be okay, though his skin looked slightly reddened as if from sunburn. Obviously he'd been prepared for the possibility of injury or exposure and did not look to be suffering any ill effects from the poison.

"Are you okay? I mean, you _look_ okay, kind of." She asked, to reassure herself, adding, "Your skin looks a little red though."

"Yeah, I'm fine. My skin is a little tender still but it's getting better. I've got some really good medicine with me from Esthar that's pretty much saved my life more than once." Squall answered her, relaxing slightly.

Rinoa scrolled through the rest of the pictures, then gasped and stared at Squall, eyes wide. "Is that a... _dragon_?"

"Yes, it is." He answered.

She studied the picture again, awed, saying, "I didn't think they existed anymore...and here you are, strolling around slaying them like some kind of knight."

"Dragons are far from extinct, so don't worry about me devastating the world's population if I should decide to eradicate them from my island. Though they _are_ a nice, challenging hunt." Squall said.

"I've never seen one." Rinoa said, handing the phone back to Squall. "That one was beautiful."

"Trust me, it's not the first dragon I've had to kill." Squall said, taking the phone back. "You may not have any here in Galbadia, but there's quite a lot of them in Trabia, Esthar and parts of the Centra Crater. That one was a blue dragon, by the way."

"Do they breathe fire? Like in the stories?" Rinoa asked, fascinated and slightly scared. He was talking about hunting down and killing dragons as though it were of no more difficulty than going deer hunting. _Dragons_. She had a hard time wrapping her mind around that.

"Yeah," Squall answered. "Most of them do, anyway."

He hunted _fire-breathing dragons_. Okay, so she knew monsters existed. The Lunar Cry was a fact, and the last one had occurred fairly recently. But the world had recovered and moved on, and it was easy to forget something that had happened decades before she'd even been born. She'd seen pictures of some of them of course; anyone who went out camping did well to familiarize themselves with the creatures that may or may not populate the area where they planned to go. But her education in that area was concentrated upon what was most common in Galbadia. Obviously, she'd been far more sheltered than she'd realized.

Hard upon that realization came another one: What Squall was doing was incredibly dangerous. She kicked herself mentally for not really thinking about that, instead blinding herself to that fact and allowing herself to be distracted by the beauty of the island and the power of how she felt about him. He had friends to help him, sure, and that _did_ make Rinoa feel somewhat better, but...he'd already been injured twice since she'd known him. Not seriously, true, but...the scars on his body bore silent witness that he'd had worse happen, and more than once.

"You could get killed." Rinoa said faintly, staring at him.

Squall frowned, seeing the fear in her wide eyes and pale face, and suddenly feeling helpless in the face of it. He wouldn't lie to her; he wasn't a fool. Not _that_ much of one, at any rate. He _had_ however downplayed the danger that he faced in an effort to spare Rinoa the worry that she was now experiencing. In doing so, he realized that he'd done her...done them both actually.. A disservice. He needed to trust _her_ more, and she needed to trust _him_ more.

Finally he replied, "Yes. I could. But by the same token, you could get killed walking across the street. I know it's not the same thing but...just like you know how to cross the street and avoid getting hit by a car, I know how to hunt, and kill, and avoid getting killed in the process myself. Its a skill that only gets better with practice."

"But...you've been hurt before. More than once..." Rinoa said, voice trailing off. She didn't know what to feel, just then. Fear, certainly. Fear on his behalf. She didn't want to think of him being injured again or even killed. And she wasn't sure entirely that the risks he was taking justified the possible payoff. But...she _did_ understand, a little bit, what he was trying to do. He was _building_ something, and she already knew that he was the sort that thrived on the challenge inherent in what he was attempting to build.

"Yes." Squall replied softly. Laying his fork aside, he got up and approached where she sat at the table, and knelt down in front of her. Taking both of her hands in his, he kissed them gently.

Gazing down at their joined hands, he said, "I'm very careful about making promises. Too many variables to consider when you attempt to deal in absolutes, and because of what I _used_ to do as a SeeD and after...well, I've learned that _nothing_ is guaranteed. But I also know that if you take no risks, you gain no rewards. What I'm doing...the risks I'm taking...it comes with the promise that if I'm successful, I'll finally have built something that's _mine_. Something that I've wanted my whole life and only just recently dared to dream of it. A refuge, a haven...and eventually...a home." raising his eyes to hers, he continued earnestly, "I'm careful about making promises, but I'll make you _this_ promise: No matter what happens, I'll always come home to you."

Rinoa blinked, eyes stinging, and whispered, "Home...to me?" That phrasing, those words...couldn't have been a mistake.

"Yes." Squall said simply, then swallowed and added hesitantly, "because...I feel at home... _here_. With you."

* * *

_I love you Squall.._.

Those words echoed in Rinoa's mind, over and over again, but she was unable to utter them. Her lips were too busy kissing Squall's for her to say anything. The tears that had stung her eyes finally broke free and trickled silently down her cheeks while she kissed him as though her life depended upon it. And if not her life, definitely her heart.

She speared her fingers through his hair while kissing him, and his hands slipped round her waist and lightly caressed upward. Their kisses changed from soft and comforting to hot, and hungry. They separated briefly and simply gazed at each other, seeing their mutual desires reflected in each others eyes.

Finally, Squall asked, "Will you trust me?"

Swallowing, Rinoa nodded, whispering,"Yes."

Squall's arms tightened around her waist and he leaned into her, resting his bowed head on her breasts, his body language conveying far more than his whispered, "Thank you." did. She felt it...a sudden release of tension as he fit himself against her, comforting and being comforted in turn simply by her proximity.

Rinoa's heart melted and she ran her fingers through Squall's hair slowly, reordering the thick, silken mane. She hadn't realized until just then exactly how long his hair had gotten. It now touched his shoulders in a rich, glittering fall of mahogany, copper and bronze. Fascinated, she simply stroked it as Squall held her. Something of great importance had just taken place, and both needed that moment of quiet to let it sink in. Declaring one's feelings to another is frightening...doing so without being sure that the other party is trustworthy, is terrifying. Trust is damned difficult for some people to simply hand out, and Rinoa intuitively knew, from what she'd learned of Squall's upbringing, that he was one of those people who didn't trust easily. Someone who wouldn't give trust unless he received it. So..he asked. Simple enough. And profound enough.

Raising his head, he gave her a small smile, then asked her, "I'm guessing we're done with dinner, right?"

She nodded, "Yeah."

"I'll get the dishes then," He said, giving her a soft, lingering kiss with just a hint of heat. A promise of more to come, and it warmed Rinoa straight to her core.

"I'll help," She said, getting up as he did and crossing over to the kitchen sink and filling it while he dealt with the leftovers. She had a dishwasher, and it worked just fine. They'd even used it on occasion when they were more interested in going straight to bed than dealing with dishes. But it felt more intimate to perform that small chore side-by-side with him. It didn't hurt that she was the beneficiary of several covert kisses while she washed and rinsed, as he dried and put the dishes away.

Once that task was finished, they both headed toward the bedroom. Rinoa couldn't hold back a tired sigh as she rotated her head and rubbed at the back of her neck. A pair of warm, strong hands replaced hers, and Squall gently worked at the tension that had gathered there.

"Tired?" Squall asked her, then commented, "you're awfully tight here." He stroked his fingers up the back of her neck, and Rinoa let her head drop forward onto her chest and closed her eyes with a sigh.

"You have about a million years to stop doing that," she said with a moan. He paused briefly in his ministrations and leaned into her, brushing his lips against her ear and trailing them down her neck, making her shiver.

"If you take your shirt off, I'll do the rest of your back," he whispered against her cheek, making her heart suddenly pound and her breath come short.

"That sounds wonderful," Rinoa whispered. Squall obligingly stepped back to give her room and she unbuttoned her shirt. She shrugged it off and let it fall to the ground, and reached back to undo her bra, but Squall was already unhooking it and lightly trailing his fingertips over her shoulders, guiding the straps down her arms. Her breath hitched as he placed a soft kiss on her right shoulder as it fell to the floor. Then he undid her skirt and let it fall as well.

"Go ahead and lie down and relax." Squalll told her softly.

Rinoa did as instructed, sighing again, eyes drifting closed. She heard quiet rustlings as Squall undressed, then his hands returned to their previous activity, starting at her neck and shoulders and working downward toward her buttocks. She couldn't help a soft moan as he systematically turned her into a puddle of goo. The tension left behind by stress and fatigue melted away under his strong, warm fingertips, and Rinoa reflected that she really should have had him do this for her before. It was obvious that his previous occupation had taught him _this_ particular skill as well. She drifted in a sensual haze, lost in the feel of his hands stroking, kneading and caressing every inch of her body, from the back of her neck to the soles of her feet. Then he gently bit the back of her neck, and lust sucker punched her in the lower gut.

She found it hard to breathe, and _damn_ him, he was laughing that sexy laugh of his at the inarticulate sound she'd made when he did that. Then she shivered and moaned when he did it again, gently nipping his way to her earlobe. He'd skillfully worked her body into a state of boneless relaxation with his touch, nearly lulling her to sleep. And now he was waking her up to a gnawing hunger that only he could satisfy. She started to roll onto her back, intending to reach up and pull him down onto the bed with her, but he would have none of it.

"No," He whispered, gently pressing her back down onto the bed. And he continued, touching, caressing, kissing and yes, even biting, all down her back to her buttocks and beyond. Suddenly, she was aware of every touch, every kiss. She had no idea there were so many erogenous zones on the _back_ , for crying out loud...and Squall apparently knew them all.

He reduced her to begging, "Please..." and shifting restlessly, aching for completion. She again tried to roll over, wanting him on her, over her, and _in_ her in the worst way...but he again stopped her.

Instead, he grabbed her hips and lifted them up. Rinoa arched her back instinctively, and Squall surprised her yet again by taking a healthy bite out of her right buttock...not hard, and not painfully, then kissing it. He deftly undid her suspenders and drew off her panties, then drew a gasping moan from her as he sheathed himself within her.

"Oh...Gods..." her heart felt like it was going to burst, and she shuddered at the sensual overload.

Squall paused and leaned forward, stroking one hand up her back and then pressing against her, gently kissing the back and side of her neck before whispering in her ear, "You okay with this? Not every woman is comfortable with this position.."

Rinoa could only manage a barely articulate sound of assent, reassuring him that whatever he was doing to her, it wasn't _hurting_ her. Then all she could do was moan as he began moving within her. He started slowly, whispering breathless cues to help her shift and move with him. He started kissing her neck, shoulders, cheeks, making her shiver, while simultaneously caressing and teasing her breasts and nipples. He started moving harder, and faster, tangling one hand into her hair and starting to tug a bit before loosening his grip, then letting go.

 _Not yet_ , he thought. _She's not ready for that yet_...

Instead, he drove hard and deep, pushing her over the edge and holding her in his arms while she shuddered, and shook, and cried out his name. Then he followed her, his strength draining out with his essence and leaving him weak. He collapsed forward onto her back, dropping one hand onto the bed to support him and inadvertently covering one of her hands with his. He gripped it instead, lacing his fingers through hers and squeezing it. He rested his head against hers, his breath puffing against her cheek as he sprinkled light kisses along it and her neck. She turned her head obligingly and let his lips find hers, and they traded breaths in a long, lingering kiss.

He shifted, withdrawing from her and laying down on the bed, facing her. Once more tongue tied by what crowded and jostled together within his mind and heart. She smiled at him, and he reached out and caressed her cheek, stroking stray wisps of her dark hair back away from her face. She cuddled close then, sighing contentedly and kissing him on his upper chest, then reaching up and kissing his lips softly.

"That was...different." She sighed again, then yawned softly.

Suddenly, Squall was a bit worried that she hadn't liked it after all, despite her apparent enjoyment.

"I wasn't too rough, was I?" He asked her.

"No," she whispered, eyes closing. "It was...wonderful. Hot, and intense." she opened her eyes again and smiled up at him, then laughed softly as something struck her as funny.

"You do realize now that you've _literally_ kissed my ass?"

Squall laughed softly along with her, saying, "I did that on purpose you know. That phrase is no longer admissible in any argument from here on out."

"We haven't had any arguments yet." Rinoa observed, yawning again.

Squall snorted wryly at this, "give it time. I'm sure I'll piss you off at some point."

"You're probably right. As long as we fight fair, we'll be okay." Rinoa said serenely, eyes drifting closed. Her breathing steadied as she finally sank into sleep. He watched her sleep, heart so full it was aching, thinking about what she'd said.

He swallowed, suddenly realizing that he had no idea what she was talking about. He had no frame of reference, nothing really give him even a hint of what she'd meant. Fighting fair? How the hell does someone fight fair? The only way Squall knew how to fight was to win. And that scared the hell out of him.

Suddenly, he wanted very badly to talk to his sister, Ellone. Maybe she'd be able to explain it to him, help him understand. She was smarter about these kinds of things, and she was a girl. She'd get it.

He glanced at his chronograph, then sighed. He _could_ call her now, but...he didn't want to leave Rinoa's side. Not with her cuddled up against him like she was...and sleep was dragging at him anyway. So he shifted briefly, taking care not to wake her, and grabbed at the blanket on the bed, pulling it up to cover them both. Then he too drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Squall dove into a roll, using his momentum to regain his feet, set his stance and raised his gunblade. Waiting for the grendel's attack. Irvine and Zell, both flanking the creature, opened fire as it charged. It stumbled and faltered as Irvine's armor-piercing shells tore through its body, and Squall took advantage of that, charging forward with his gunblade raised high. Timing the blow perfectly, he brought the gunblade down upon the grendel's neck and pulled the trigger, then danced aside to avoid a last, desperate swipe from it's tailblade as it fell, dying.

Wiping sweat and blood from his face, Squall panted, "that's one down." He scanned the area while reloading his gunblade with pulse ammo. More were coming, he could almost guarantee it.

"What do you mean, one down?" Zell asked, looking wildly around while quickly loading his rifle.

"He means these little fuckers hunt in packs. And this was the omega...the weakest one." Irvine said, loading both his shotgun and his rifle with the most powerful ammunition that he had.

"We should get back to cover, the trees..." Zell began, but Squall shook his head.

"We're better off out here. At least we can see them coming." he said. _Kind of_. The grass was waist height. They'd see _something_ coming at them all right, just not _what_ exactly until it was on top of them. Maybe better than dealing with the jungle and the thick cover that it afforded, but not _much_ better.

"Gods, I fucking _hate_ grendels..." Zell muttered, shouldering his rifle and scanning the area again, looking for _anything_.

They had run afoul of this particular grendel virtually the moment they had ventured into the grassy meadow that occupied a sizable chunk of the island's interior. The grassland was home to a goodly number of mesmerize, along with antelope and deer. Plenty of prey animals for the grendels to hunt. They'd also seen some sign of geezard and anacondaur, though hadn't run across any as yet.

A run in with the resident grendels was actually overdue. With as many monsters as they were killing, they were leaving plenty of carrion behind for them to eat. That had caused them to actually stalk their hunts, a development that they all found worrying. And they'd been getting progressively bolder. Truth was, nobody really knew how intelligent grendels were, but the fact that they hunted in packs and were well known for cooperative behavior, argued that they were more than simply mindless killing machines.

"Zell does have a point Squall," Irvine said, cocking his shotgun and scanning his side of the meadow. "We're sitting ducks out here."

"You have a suggestion? I'd be glad to hear it. You know we can't run, they'll be on us before we get a half a meter." Squall said.

"Walk, don't run, toward the mountain. There's gotta be some caves there on this side." Irvine said,

"It's worth a shot," Zell said grimly, suiting words to action.

"All right. Single file. I'm point." Squall said, taking the lead.

They started off, weapons ready, watching the movement of the grass for any telltale signs that they were being hunted. The breeze that had picked up didn't help matters; the grass undulated like a wind-driven sea of green-gold. But movement in the grass that went against the wind alerted them all to the fact that they were indeed being stalked.

"They're on our tails." Irvine said calmly turning around and walking backward a few paces, shotgun leveled at the furrows in the grass that were headed in their direction.

"How many?" Zell asked.

"Three." he answered, voice growing tense.

"Keep moving." Squall ordered. "Pick up the pace but whatever you do, don't run."

"Right." Irvine agreed.

They all started walking faster, and the three furrows in the grass that were following suddenly split up. Two moving around to either side of them, while one remained directly behind.

"Shit," Irvine whispered, then he warned, "they're flanking us."

Squall stopped and headed back to Irvine, saying, "All right. I'll take the left flank. Zell, you take right. Irvine, you've got whatever's coming up our backtrail."

"Outstanding." Irvine muttered as he squared his stance and brought his shotgun up to his shoulder. Zell did the same thing with his rifle, while Squall held his gunblade ready.

A guttural snarl was the only warning they had before the grendels broke cover and charged.

Irvine immediately fired three shots in quick succession, each finding its mark and exploding upon hitting the beast, killing it instantly. A volley of shots to his right made Irvine whirl to see if Zell needed any help. The beast Zell had drawn a bead on was slowed by the bullets he'd put into it, but it wasn't stopped. Irvine finished it off with another one of his exploding rounds. They both turned to see if Squall needed any help with the grendel he was fighting.

It was the alpha. The largest and strongest of the pack, and Squall was going toe to toe with it, dodging and dancing to avoid its claws and tailblade. So far it was a stalemate; neither had marked the other...not yet anyway. But it didn't look good for Squall. Tough as he was, the grendel was more than a match for him, and he was only just holding his own against it.

So Irvine decided to even the odds a bit, and took aim at the beast, telling Squall, "back off a bit, I'm gonna hit it with a couple of incendiary rounds."

"Be my guest," Squall panted, narrowly avoiding another swipe from the creature's tailblade. He did as Irvine requested and backed up, trying to open up a gap between himself and the monster. Then it did something unusual; rising to its hind legs, it flung both forelegs wide and tossed it's head back, emitting a loud, howling roar. Then...there was an odd crackling sound and webs of electrostatic energy seemed to crawl all over it.

"What the...?" Zell said, staring.

Irvine didn't wait for the creature to finish whatever it was starting to do, firing two rounds into it as soon as it reared up and the light show started.

It fell with a cry, releasing its gathered energy in a single bolt.. _before_ the incendiaries exploded...aimed right at Squall. Webs of lightning crawled all over him as he fell to the ground, screaming and convulsing.

"Holy Gods!" Irvine gasped, flinging his shotgun to his back and running over to Squall, who lay frighteningly still. As Irvine dropped to his knees next to him, he stirred and groaned. Zell followed suit, and immediately started rummaging through his backpack, finally unearthing a vial of healing potion.

"You all right?" Zell asked him.

Squall groaned again and mumbled, "Get..healing...potion. Better not piss on me again..."

Irvine couldn't help laughing at that as Zell snorted and opened the vial. Irvine worked his arm under Squall's shoulders and lifted him up as carefully as possible, though he still grimaced and grunted in pain. Zell placed the opened vial at Squall's lips and tilted it up, letting the fluid run into his mouth. He swallowed, then relaxed back into Irvine's supporting grasp with a deep sigh, closing his eyes as the medicine did its work. It didn't take long.

When he started shifting with more vigor, Irvine asked him, "Okay now?"

"Yeah." Squall answered, starting to get to his feet. Irvine helped him up, watching him bend and flex his limbs as though working out stiffness.

Gazing around at the grass, Squall said, "We might want to keep on toward that mountain. We need a better position, one not quite so open."

"Right." Irvine said, checking his ammo. Zell and Squall both did the same, and they continued on, cautiously.

They walked in watchful silence for a moment, then Zell commented, "I thought that thing had you for sure."

"Almost." Squall replied.

"Looked like it hurt like hell." Irvine said.

"It did." Squall said.

"What did it feel like? Looked like you were dead for a minute." Zell asked him.

"Have you ever been tazed?" Squall asked him.

"No, can't say I have." Zell answered.

"Well, that's what it feels like. It fries your nervous system and paralyzes you for a few minutes." Squall said.

"And you would know this how?" Irvine asked him.

Squall gave him a level look, then answered shortly, "Administrative Discipline 401. Required for command personnel. We had to take turns tazing each other so we'd know what it felt like. It was basically a high-level class on self-defense and non-lethal take downs, just in case a SeeD or cadet got unruly and needed an "attitude adjustment". "

"I never heard of you tazing anybody though," Zell commented. "And I know you had to deal with some real bruisers on occasion."

"No, I didn't. Because it sucked." Squall replied with a grimace.

"Well, that explains why you spent so much time sparring with me. Preferred more direct means of getting your point across, I take it?" Zell asked.

Squall nodded. "Yeah."

They continued walking briskly toward the mountain, each scanning the area carefully for any signs of more grendels, or anacondaurs, or any of the other nasty creatures they'd encountered thus far. Nothing yet, but they continued toward the mountain anyway.

"Hey," Irvine said, pointing toward the mountain. "Looks like a cave over there."

Squall and Zell paused, gazing in the direction Irvine indicated. It did indeed look like a cave, screened by brush, in a fold of the surprisingly wrinkled earth that rose toward the mountain's summit. Trust eagle-eyed Irvine to see it first. Like any mountain, it looked far closer than it actually was, and as they finally reached its foot, was far larger than either of them had thought.

They encountered no more grendels; probably because the carcasses of four they'd already killed were occupying any others that might have been trailing them. But as they reached the mountain they were very mindful of the fact that this was prime anacondaur territory. The big snakelike creatures tended to like mountainous terrain.

It took far longer to reach the cave than expected, and the sun was slanting toward evening. They would have to stay the night there and hike back to Base Camp in the morning. Hopefully, the cave wasn't occupied.

"So, what do you think?" Irvine asked as they studied the cave entrance.

"See any signs that something might be living in it?" Squall asked him.

"Not so far. Gonna have to take a closer look though. Can't see much from here with all that brush." Irvine said, lowering the rifle bearing the scope he'd been peering through.

"We've all got flashlights, right?" Squall asked. Zell and Irvine both nodded and started digging through their packs to get them. Squall got his out as well, pocketing it for the time being as he needed both hands for his weapon.

"All right then," he said, checking and reloading his gunblade. "Let's go."

They moved cautiously through the screening brush, paying particular attention to any traces of monster or predator presence. They relaxed slightly at its lack, then paused at the cave's actual entrance, peering into its depths. Finding again no signs in the cave itself of any occupation, they turned on their flashlights and ventured forward.

"Noisemakers on the approach to the cave?" Irvine asked, shining his flashlight along the walls and ceiling of the cave before aiming it forward. Zell and Squall did the same thing, looking for anything threatening, and paying scant attention to the sparks of light that reflected back at them from various random spots.

"Yeah. We'll take turns at watch." Squall answered. Incendiaries and other explosive traps wouldn't be used anywhere near the cave. The risk of cave-in resulting from setting off explosives at close range was too great.

It was a deep cave; the initial entrance was rather narrow to begin with, and easily overlooked due to the overgrowth of vegetation that partially obscured it. It opened up gradually into an area that was littered about with rocks that threw off sparks and glitters of light when their flashlights hit them, similar to what played about on the walls and ceiling of the cave's tunnel. More tunnels and fissures were in evidence; it appeared to be a fairly large cave system. But they stopped there, still within sight of the entrance itself. They were not equipped for cave exploring at the moment, and no one wanted to end up trapped underground.

"I guess we can camp here. Looks like as good a place as any." Irvine said, starting the kick the rocks aside to clear a place for hiim to place his bedroll later on.

"Lotta rocks," Zell commented, doing the same thing. "Think there was a recent cave-in?" He asked, worried.

"I wouldn't doubt it. This IS a volcano. Dormant at least if not extinct, but not terribly stable, geologically speaking." Squall responded, following suit. Then he paused for a moment, shining his flashlight at the rocks that littered the ground, studying them. Directing his beam once again at the walls and ceiling, he noted the random flashes of reflected light as he did.

"Is that a quartz vein, do you think?" He wondered.

Zell did the same thing and replied with a frown, "maybe, but it doesn't look exactly right for quartz. Some of this might be mica, or pyrite."

"Maybe mica. I doubt it's pyrite though." Squall said, returning his attention to kicking enough rocks aside to make a relatively rock-free place to bed down. As he did, one of the rocks caught his eye as it rolled away, appearing to reflect the light back at him more brightly than the others did. Curious, he bent to pick it up, interested in taking a closer look.

"Huh," he said to himself, studying it. It was the size of his fist, irregularly shaped, and looked like a lump of partially melted glass that had been rolled in dirt. It was cracked and crazed in some spots, almost perfectly clear in others. There were other rocks of various sizes that looked similar. Some appeared smokey grey, some glossy black like obsidian. But only a few were nearly as clear as glass, like the one he held.

"What's that?" Irvine asked.

"Dunno. Clear quartz maybe? Cool looking rock, I guess. Think I'll take it home as a souvenir or something." Squall answered.

"Can I see?" Zell asked, curious.

"Sure," Squall answered, handing it over.

Zell peered at it intently for several minutes, shining his flashlight at it and turning it around and around, letting the light hit all the different angles, frowning in concentration.

Handing it back to Squall, he said shortly, "Keep that. Don't lose it." Then he wandered the cave, picking up and studying the shiniest of the rocks, one by one, pocketing some, and tossing aside others.

"So?" Squall asked, curious about his friend's behavior.

"You nailed down the mineral rights on this place, right?" Zell asked.

"Yeah." Squall answered. "Why?"

Instead of answering, Zell said, "When you get back to Deling City, talk to Quistis about filing a mining claim. Get that done first, then call me."

"Why?" Squall asked again.

"You know gemology is my hobby, right?" Zell asked. Irvine and Squall both nodded, and Zell continued, "I'll need to get these into a place with better light and take a look at them with like, a microscope or jeweler's loupe, or something, before I can be sure but...Guys, I think these are diamonds."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Another chapter done! Whew! Hope you enjoyed it! Hopefully I will be able to post the next chapter more quickly.. The holidays had me pretty dang busy. but they're settling down a bit so maybe I can finally actually FINISH this...


	23. Chapter 23

Diamonds are forever. That was the mythos about them, at any rate. That and "diamonds are a girl's best friend", which in Squall's experience was only true about half of the time. This despite the fact that, owing to the exclusive...and thus _expensive_... nature of the resort, nearly all of his clients had arrived virtually dripping in them. It didn't take long to figure out which women actually _did_ only have diamonds as their best friends. Some of them, he almost felt sorry for.

Squall picked up the rock he'd found in the cave on his island and simply held it in his hand, feeling its weight...both literally and figuratively. It was a bloody _big_ rock, filling the palm of his hand completely...nearly the size of his balled up fist. Then he looked over at the sheaf of papers he'd just received in that day's post. He'd had a geologist/gemologist and certified diamond expert examine the thing a week ago...completely and scientifically...and had just gotten the report. The rock was undoubtedly a diamond, and according to the man, probably the most flawless one he'd ever seen in its natural state. Depending upon how the diamond was cut, he could potentially have several very high quality gems of varying carat weights. And the main stone when finished, would likely end up being the largest and most valuable cut diamond in the world. Worth millions, if he should decide to sell it. It boggled the mind.

The gemologist had helpfully included a list of reputable and very well-known cutters to consult, to help him to decide how to finish the stone, along with their fees for doing so. One of the names, he recognized as one that Zell had mentioned a time or two. He set the list aside, intending to research these cutters a little more thoroughly and see if he could view some examples of their work before deciding on who should do the work of transforming his rock into a gem.

He'd already consulted Quistis regarding his find, and she'd told him to call her back once he'd gotten confirmation that his rock and the others taken by Irvine and Zell, were in fact diamonds. Setting the rock down upon the papers...it actually made a really good paperweight...he picked up his phone and called her.

"Hello Squall. I assume you've gotten your report back from the gemologist?" She answered, jumping right to the business at hand. He liked that about her.

"I have. And it turns out that all the rocks we've taken from the cave are indeed diamonds. Which means I need to file a mining claim, don't I?" Squall asked her.

"It would be wise. Even if you don't go into a full-scale mining operation, and I understand and agree with your concerns about that, you will at least have your claim [registered](https://www.fanfiction.net/story/story_preview.php?storyid=8580167&chapter=23/#). What you do with it is entirely up to you." She answered.

"I see. Thank you Quistis. Will you be available later to discuss it?" He asked her.

"I'm booked for this afternoon but I could fit you in on Thursday. Nine o'clock?" she replied.

He checked to see if he had anything scheduled for that time, and finding no conflicts, agreed, "Nine works. See you then."

"What does Rinoa think of it?" She asked, surprising him.

"The diamond? I haven't seen her. We've both been busy this week." Squall answered. The bulk of that week had been spent on the island with Zell and Irvine, [continuing](https://www.fanfiction.net/story/story_preview.php?storyid=8580167&chapter=23/#) with his Monster Eradication plan. Progress was frustratingly slow, owing mainly to the fact that there were quite alot of very tough, non-native creatures populating the place. The good part of the hunting was the trophies that they were taking...some of which were very valuable indeed. So at least they were actually earning a bit of revenue as well as making the island a little bit less dangerous a place to be.

"Let me know what she says when she finds out she's dating a millionaire." Quistis said.

"So far, it's only on paper," Squall said.

"True enough. But you and I both know that won't be the case for long." Quistis replied, then she asked. "Is Rinoa coming by tonight?"

"Yeah. She was at work when I pulled into port so I've just been taking care [of business](https://www.fanfiction.net/story/story_preview.php?storyid=8580167&chapter=23/#). She'll be here when she's done." Squall answered her.

"Tell her 'hi' for me," Quistis said.

"Will do." Squall replied, then concluded the call.

Quistis was right though. He already was well on his way to becoming not just a millionaire, but a _multi_ -millionaire. He was almost there already despite laying out a huge chunk of his funds in purchasing the island and the boat. His investments were doing well; his retirement fund was flush and he was content to simply let it grow as it would, while his short-term, higher-yield stocks were performing nicely also. The trophies and rare items that he was bringing back from the island had thus far provided enough funds that he was virtually even on the balance of expense versus income, without having to utilize hardly any of his reserves. In short, he was doing well financially, despite giving the appearance (to some) of the opposite. He could have cared less about that anyhow; he'd never had a "normal" nine-to-five [type job](https://www.fanfiction.net/story/story_preview.php?storyid=8580167&chapter=23/#), so there was no reason to start that now. And appearances mattered to him not at all.

He did wonder though, what Rinoa would think. He'd never really told her anything about his finances; he hadn't really made an issue of it and neither had she. If she'd had any concerns on his behalf, he knew she would have made mention of it. Perhaps it was because he simply never made it an issue. He didn't spend extravagantly, but he didn't act as though he was strapped for [cash](https://www.fanfiction.net/story/story_preview.php?storyid=8580167&chapter=23/#) either.

Neither did Rinoa, though she did confess that she wouldn't have been able to afford a trip to the resort on her own. That didn't mean that she was _poor_ , just perhaps not as well-heeled as those he'd encountered there on a regular basis. It didn't matter to him; he didn't get the sense that she gave a flying fig about what income bracket he inhabited. He didn't care either. Gil was a tool, nothing more. The more you had, the more you could accomplish and the more comfortably you could live, but that was all.

He'd already learned that what mattered most to him couldn't be bought or sold.

* * *

Rinoa walked down the quay with Angelo at heel, enjoying the evening. The blaze of colors across the sky, punctuated by the scattering of bared masts from docked boats, was a wonderfully diverting and peaceful sight. She liked that Squall was so unconventional in his choice of living situation. He could literally tie his boat up anywhere he wanted to and that would be home to him until he decided to sail off someplace else. Even though he really only shuttled from his island to port..and sometimes to her apartment...that sense of freedom still lingered. For someone who'd spent the bulk of his life strictly regimented as a cadet, then a SeeD, that freedom was something new and exciting. Rinoa could tell he enjoyed it.

She had to admit she enjoyed it too. The boat, while somewhat small, was cozy rather than cramped. And when they sailed out to wherever Squall decided to go...usually someplace fairly remote and beautiful...it was also incredibly romantic.

They'd even gotten Angelo used to it, though it was a little cramped for a dog her size. She put up with the doggie life-jacket surprisingly well however, and cut such a cute figure wearing it that Rinoa couldn't stop snapping pictures of her. Or of Squall for that matter. The man was so incredibly photogenic that he could have been a model if he'd had the interest and temperament for it. It was just as well that he didn't, since Rinoa much preferred keeping him for herself. Which was why she took as many candid photos of him as she could. She liked catching him unaware.

Upon reaching Squall's boat, she climbed aboard, observing proper protocol by calling out, "Ho the boat!" as she did.

"Ho yourself," Squall replied with a quiet snort and half-smile, emerging from the cabin and approaching. Upon reaching her, he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, giving her a brief, soft, and very sweet kiss.

Rinoa leaned into his embrace and sighed, content to stay like that with him...forever if he'd allow it.

"How was work?" He asked her quietly, gently running his hands up and down her back. He had it bad for her, no doubt about it. Not when simply holding her in his arms made him feel _this_ happy...

"It was good. Busy, but productive." She answered, adding, "you'd think we'd have a bit of downtime now that the season's over, but there's tons of PR stuff still to do."

"Well, they kept you pretty busy in the lead up to the cup. And after of course, the announcements and celebrations... and stirring up interest to boost ticket sales for next season." Squall said.

"It's what I do," Rinoa said with a shrug.

"And you do it very well. _I'm_ impressed, at any rate." Squall smiled, stealing another kiss. "So... dinner?"

"I could eat. Did you want me to cook something? Or are we going out? Ordering in?" Rinoa asked, following him as he disengaged from her briefly, then took her hand and led her down into the cabin.

"I've actually just finished cooking it."

"You're becoming positively domestic. I like this side of you." Rinoa smiled at him.

Squall smiled back at her and gestured toward the table, "Have a seat. I'll be right back."

The last of the light had died very quickly, making it necessary for Squall to turn on the lights in the cabin. Rinoa sat down as he turned away toward the small galley and began dishing up whatever it was he'd cooked. It smelled good, so she was fairly confident that it would taste good as well. Limited though his abilities might have been initially, he'd obviously been working at expanding that particular skillset.

While he was busy, Rinoa gazed around and noticed a small stack of papers with what looked like an irregularly shaped lump of glass sitting on top of it. Curious, she picked it up to get a better look at it, turning it to and fro, watching as the light glittered through it. Squall returned with their dinners and set them down on the table, sitting down opposite Rinoa.

"Interesting paperweight. What is it, glass?" She asked, returning it to its original place and taking the bottle of beer he offered her.

"No, it's a rock. Sorry. I'm out of wine," He said apologetically as he opened his own bottle.

"That's okay. As it happens, I rather like your choice of ale." She replied, taking a sip and turning her attention to her dinner, which appeared to be some kind of seafood stew, poking at it briefly before taking a small bite, then rolling her eyes and moaning, "oh, this is good!"

"Best part about having a boat. Guaranteed fresh seafood." Squall said with a wink.

"You enjoy fishing entirely too much." Rinoa said in mock severity.

" _This_ , my dear, is shellfish. Most of it, anyway. I _dove_ for this." Squall said smugly.

"Not alone I hope," Rinoa said, suddenly worried. Diving alone was foolishness that bordered on suicidal.

"No. I had the guys spotting for me. We took turns and dragged a huge haul up off the shoals by the island. Oysters, scallops, clams. A squid came along for the ride when it saw what we were bringing up." Squall explained.

"And it ended up on the menu too." Rinoa said, poking at a piece of tentacle before spearing it with her fork and eating it, then adding, "I take it those buckets over there are more of them?" she gestured toward the galley where two smallish buckets sat near the miniscule sink.

"Oysters anyway. I just put some fresh seawater in there so they should be okay for a bit still. I figured on having them for dinner tomorrow night." Squall said.

"Maybe we'll find a pearl in one of them," Rinoa commented, taking another bite and sipping the beer.

"Maybe. If nothing else, Irvine, Zell and I have some good seafood to eat today. They each took home a good-sized bucket." Squall told her. A seafood boil was actually pretty easy to cook, much to Squall's relief. It didn't hurt that they'd caught the shellfish that morning and had left them filtering themselves clean for most of the day while they'd been busy preparing to sail back to Deling City. That, and a nice crusty loaf of bread obtained from a nearby market and dinner was easily done.

Rinoa's gaze strayed back to the rock on the table, and she wondered aloud, "What kind of rock is that, anyway?"

"Diamond." Squall answered, casually taking a sip from his beer.

"No, really, what is it, some kind of quartz or something?" Rinoa asked him, not sure she believed his first answer.

"No. It's a diamond." Squall answered again.

"You're kidding." Rinoa stared at him.

"Nope. Just got the report back from a gemologist. Go take a look if you don't believe me." Squall said, indicating the stack of papers weighted by a ...fricking HUGE diamond.

Slowly, Rinoa did as he suggested, hefting the rock in one hand, almost exactly like Squall had done just hours earlier, while reading the report. "Holy crap."

"Yep."

Rinoa set the diamond down, back on top of the report, and asked, "What are you going to do with it? I mean, even uncut this thing is worth...I have no idea, but I'm guessing a lot."

"I'm looking into cutters right now. And then...I don't know. Sell it maybe. They're saying it might be the largest rough diamond ever found, and it may end up being the largest gem in the world, depending on how it's finished." he replied.

"A two-carat diamond costs three thousand gil. A two-carat diamond is not even a _tenth_ the size of that monster. I can't even _imagine_ what it would be worth once it's cut and polished." Rinoa said, shaking her head.

"Neither can I, actually. Still trying to wrap my head around it." Squall admitted. Then he gave Rinoa a rueful half-smile and asked, "Hope you don't have a problem with dating a guy who owns a diamond mine..."

"No. None whatsoever." Rinoa said, smiling at him.

"Well, that's a relief anyway. Are you finished with dinner?" At Rinoa's nod, Squall got up and took her plate, along with his, to the sink.

Rinoa followed and leaned against him, slipping her arm around his waist, asking, "I know it's tight quarters here but I rather like it. Need a hand?"

Squall turned slightly and kissed her temple, answering, "Of course I do."

They set to work and the next few minutes were silent as they concentrated on their shared task. They finished quickly, the dishes dried and put away, the counter tops and stove wiped down.

"So I'm guessing this mine where you found this diamond is on your island?" Rinoa asked, drying her hands off and hanging the dishtowel back up.

"It is. It's actually just a cave, really. I've already filed a mining claim on it, but that just means that nobody else can go in there and do it. Even though it's on my property and I've retained all mineral rights, I wanted to make sure everything was covered. Don't know that I'll go into a full-scale mining operation there though. I rather like the place like it is. Don't want to go tearing it up just for some pretty rocks." Squall said.

"Pretty rocks, huh?" Rinoa said with a snort.

Squall chuckled slightly, "Yeah. You can tell I'm all about those diamonds now, aren't I?"

"Kinda handy though, having a diamond mine nearby. If you run short of cash, just go dig up a few to cut and sell." Rinoa said.

"Yeah, something like that." Squall said, turning toward her and slipping his hands around her waist. "At least it'll make it easier to get everything else done that I need to do. To be honest though, between the legalities of it all, finding and hiring a cutter, a jeweler to create a setting for it or something...then deciding if I should sell it or not... It has the potential for being a really huge headache."

Rinoa leaned into him and stretched up to press her lips against his, saying, "Well, I know _one_ thing that will take your mind off of _those_ concerns..."

Squall kissed her back, pressing her against his body, then pulling back to murmur, "Only _one_?"

"Several, then." She replied, smiling against his lips.

He smiled back, asking "where do you want to start?"

* * *

They started in the galley, and ended up, as usual, in his bed. Squall had no complaints about that. Certainly it was the highlight of any day when he could hold Rinoa in his arms, kiss her, make love with her. Recalling discussions he'd had with Ellone, and of all people, _Irvine_ , he knew a serious conversation with Rinoa was long overdue. If for no other reason than to let her know... as if his _showing_ her wasn't enough... that she meant the world to him.

But simply lying in bed with her in his arms, head pillowed on his chest and the black silk of her hair cloaking them both... Was a moment to be savored in silence.

He lay there, stroking her hair lightly, and simply listened to her breathe. Listened to her heart beat, warmly pressed against his own. The person he had been in the past would have been uncomfortable, to say the least, with what he was feeling now, and might have actually panicked and retreated. A small kernel of that fear remained, but for a far different reason. The fears that preyed upon him had more to do with his own flaws, his worries about the fact that this was the first _real_ relationship that he'd ever had. Quite simply, he loved her, and didn't want to fuck it up. The "other fish in the sea" thing didn't apply to him. There was only one Rinoa. Yeah, he was attractive enough, he supposed, that he wouldn't lack for female company. But he'd already played that card and played it well. It had _paid_ well too, but had left him feeling empty inside.

He'd never realized _how_ empty until Rinoa had filled that space to overflowing.

She shifted, sighing, and caressed his side with the hand she'd thrown over his belly. Placing a kiss on his chest, she lifted her head and pressed her lips against his. He responded ardently; how could he _not_? Rinoa's kisses were to be savored.

"I thought you were sleeping," he said softly when they came up for air.

"I was for a bit. Then I woke up and just listened." she whispered.

"To what?" He asked, frowning slightly.

"To your heart. It's got a strong, regular beat. It's very comforting to hear." Rinoa whispered, head pillowed once again on his chest.

"Same here, actually." Squall said. "I was listening to your heartbeat as well."

Rinoa made a pleased sound and cuddled closer, wrapping herself around his body as thoroughly as she'd wrapped herself around his heart. Squall rolled onto his side, facing her, and pulled her close until they were pressed together from chest to toes. Then he let his fingers wander lightly up and down her back, enjoying the warmth of her skin against his, and its soft, silken feel beneath his fingertips. Rinoa sighed deeply and kissed him at the base of his neck, right at the notch between his collarbones.

"How is it that you're not bored with me yet?" Rinoa whispered, lightly running her fingers up and down Squall's back. He considered the question seriously, closing his eyes for a moment and sighing in pure bliss at the feel of Rinoa's caresses. The he kissed her softly on her forehead, then gave her a light kiss on her nose before pressing his lips against hers again.

Finally, he answered, "because there's nothing boring about you. Every time we're together I learn something new. Something different. Every time."

"I was just wondering." Rinoa murmured, gazing up into his eyes."I know you've said that before but it's been months and-"

"And nothing's changed." Squall said softly. Further discussion was curtailed when he kissed her deeply, leaving Rinoa in no doubt that he meant exactly what he'd said. Feeling bold, Rinoa slipped her hand between them where physical evidence of his ardor was pressing against her, and started stroking slowly. Squall's hands tightened on her behind and he moaned softly, shifting to allow her greater freedom of movement.

He endured as much of that sweet torture as he could. When he could take no more he took Rinoa, rolling her over and sheathing himself inside of her in one deft movement, making her gasp. Positioned above her, he pushed forward deeply while watching her expression and her body language closely. Gods, so beautiful, so sweet it made his heart ache and so sexy the mere thought of her in his arms made him ache with the desire to be part of her again. Her alabaster skin bore the rosy flush of a well-loved woman, while her pale pink lips were slightly parted as she gasped for breath with his every stroke. Her eyes were closed, but as he watched, they opened and focused on him. And he lost himself, once again, in their warm depths.

Every nuance, every sound she made, every expression and movement and touch...all of it communicated to his body on an almost cellular level, so deeply did they connect with each other. He didn't have to think about what she needed, or what he wanted. He already knew. That give and take as they loved each other, spoke of those deep truths that he still struggled with verbalizing. But what he wasn't yet able to say out loud, he said with his kisses, his caresses, his body...by turns tender, loving and passionate all at once.

When they both came to the peak and crashed together, both shuddering with the power of it, Rinoa had only to look into his eyes to know. In that moment, all that he felt was laid bare in those crystalline depths. Rinoa had never seen anyone look at her in such a manner, not even Allyn. Oh, she'd seen affection in his gaze, and she knew he'd loved her...but what Rinoa saw in Squall's eyes was something deep, powerful and too frightening to give a name to. It was as though, quite without realizing it, he was showing her his very soul, and offering it to her along with his heart and his body. Rinoa felt tears sting her eyes and she closed them briefly, then pulled him into a tender kiss, wrapping her arms around him and holding him close. Gathering together what he'd given her into her heart, there to guard, protect and cherish it. She made a silent promise to him that she would treat his gift with the reverence and respect that it deserved.

It's not every day that a man, particularly a man with Squall's unique history and upbringing, gives his soul along with his heart to another person.

* * *

Much later...the next morning to be exact.. Rinoa emerged from Squall's bedroom yawning, homing in on the enticing aroma of brewing coffee. She made her way aft, rubbing sleep from her eyes, and stopped, smiling, at the image that was presented to her.

Squall stood with his back to her, pouring himself a cup of the freshly made coffee. Feeling at ease in his own home (despite it actually being a boat) he hadn't bothered to put any clothing on, treating Rinoa to the view that Selphie had inadvertently gotten some weeks back. Despite having seen his bared rear aspect on several occasions, she still felt it a view worth admiring, and did so unabashedly. Then she approached and slid her arms around him from behind, catching him as he was replacing the carafe and preventing him from turning around. She felt his back and leg muscles tighten as he adjusted to her leaning into him. One of his hands covered hers, pressing them against his midsection.

"Good morning," He said. Rinoa felt him shift, probably looking back over his shoulder. She couldn't see him though, because her cheek was pressed against his back, listening in fascination to his voice's pleasant, smooth, and slightly husky rumble. The "I just woke up and haven't had coffee yet" roughness of his voice and the way it vibrated through his torso was incredibly sexy to her. She let her hands wander upward, out of his loose grasp, smoothing up and down his torso, while kissing his back between his shoulder blades.

"Good morning to you too." Rinoa finally replied. She continued letting her hands wander, keeping them from straying _too_ far into dangerous territory but otherwise enjoying the tactile sensation of his warm solidity, his smooth skin marred here and there by scars, the sparse hair that crept upward from his groin to his navel, then disappeared entirely.

"Do you have to work today?" He asked. Rinoa smiled at the audible swallow he made, noting that his coffee cup was resting on the counter next to the sink, nearly full. Unfortunately, she did, otherwise her caresses would have gotten much _more_ personal than they currently were.

"Yeah, I do actually." She answered. His hands covered hers then, stilling their wanderings.

"Then maybe you'd better get in the shower first." he replied, unable to quell a disappointed sigh.

She tightened her arms around him, hugging him close, before responding, "You're right of course, but..."

"But?" He turned to face her, giving Rinoa both visual and, when he pulled her close against him again, tactile confirmation that her caresses had a predictable effect on him.

Reaching downward between them, Rinoa said, "It would be terribly rude of me to leave you in such a state. I'll have to remedy this before I leave." Squall swallowed again as she took him in hand.

"That's...um...v..very kind of you..." he managed, knees threatening to collapse as she sweetly toyed with him. Gods, she was killing him.

He pulled her close and crushed her against him, stilling her movements for the time being as her hand was trapped between their bodies. Lowering his head, he brushed her lips lightly with his and whispered, "You'll be late for work."

"Worth it." she whispered back.

Squall kissed her deeply, stealing her breath and making her burn as his tongue swept into her mouth. He shifted to the side, taking her with him, and they managed with a minimum of awkwardness and banged body parts (Rinoa was surprised to learn that the galley table could be flipped up and put away through some cunning contrivance), to make it to the bench/sofa where Squall sat down. Pulling her over and through breathless whispers and searing kisses, he guided her onto his lap facing him, and then they both joined together. Gripping her hips firmly, he pulled her into him as he thrust upward, prompting Rinoa to throw her head back with a moan. He continued guiding her until they found their rhythm together.

Then she grabbed hold of his shoulders for support, closed her eyes in ecstasy, and rode him, grinding hard against his hips. His hands shifted to her waist, caressing upward over her ribs, then her breasts, palming them and toying with the nipples. Then he replaced his hands with his mouth, licking, sucking, and even gently biting. Scraping her nipples lightly with his teeth, then laving them with his tongue, and doing the same on her shoulders, up her neck, and back to her lips again. Rinoa lost herself in the sensation of his hands and lips roaming her body, the feel of him moving inside of her, the rising tension that she knew would soon break with an explosion of shattering pleasure.

She opened her eyes and focused on Squall, on his expression, on what he was feeling. So much of what he'd done before in his previous life had been geared toward the pleasure of his client, that it seemed to have become second nature for him to see to her needs first as well. Not that he didn't appear to enjoy himself when they had sex, he'd made it clear that he did. But it fascinated her that he seemed so surprised that she was not only willing but interested in doing what _he_ liked. It was obvious _that_ type of generosity had been a rather rare occurrence for him. She still wasn't nearly as experienced as he was, but she was learning, and Squall was _definitely_ okay with teaching her. So, as he'd mentioned doing with her on more than one occasion, _she_ watched _him_ as they made love. She was endlessly enthralled by the fact that for those brief moments, all of his masks were stripped away and she could see exactly how she was affecting him. It made her feel powerful in a way that she'd never felt before. She'd glimpsed it with Allyn, but they'd never gotten to _this_ point in their relationship before he'd been killed. Their physical intimacy had been limited by choice, out of respect of her and her father's wishes. While sad at what she'd missed with him, she was also rather glad that she'd decided to wait to take full possession of her sexuality with Squall instead.

Then all thought was driven from her as the ratcheting tension was suddenly released in a climax that left her shuddering and weak, clawing at Squall for support while caught in its throes. Her gasping cries were echoed by his growling moan, and she was crushed in his arms as he both kissed and bit his way to her lips, trembling himself as he came. They rested a moment then, and just breathed. Squall's head was tucked into the side of her neck, his breath warming her skin. She too was trying to catch her breath and she leaned her cheek lightly against his head, letting one hand sneak up and burrow its way through his sleep- and sex- mussed hair. His hold on her had relaxed; indeed, his _entire body_ had relaxed, a natural result of their previous activity.

He moved slowly, languorously, letting one of his hands lightly caress her back as he planted a soft kiss at the crook of her neck, then on her cheekbone, and finally finishing with a soft, lingering kiss on her lips.

"You should go get your shower and get ready for work." Squall murmured softly.

She should. She really should. She didn't want to. She felt so safe and warm, still joined with him, still wrapped in his arms.

"Yeah," she sighed reluctantly, attempting to stand on knees that still felt rubbery. Squall reached out and grabbed her waist to steady her when she wobbled slightly on the "dismount". She half expected a wisecrack about her walking funny but Squall simply smirked, the thought plainly in mind, and remained silent. Then, before she could turn and go to the head to shower, he leaned forward and gave her another soft kiss, just below her navel, that threatened to melt her on the spot. She couldn't help moaning softly and gripping his hair for a moment.

A light slap on her rear got her attention and she said, "Okay, Okay. Shower time."

Squall smiled gently at her, "I'll have your coffee ready when you get out."

* * *

Squall dressed while Rinoa was in the shower. He could always take advantage of it later, after he'd seen her off to work. He had business he needed to conduct that day, but for the most part, his time was his own.

He had a cup of coffee poured and ready for her when she emerged from the head and made her way to the bedroom to get dressed. She smiled thanks and took it as she passed him, pausing to take a cautious sip.

"It's been cooling, so it shouldn't burn you. Milk and sugar, right?"

"Right. Thanks." she took a deeper drink of it before setting it on the now righted table, and continuing to the bedroom.

She returned moments later with Angelo at her heels, and reclaimed the remainder of her coffee.

"Did you want anything to eat? I was going to scramble up some eggs." Squall offered.

"Well, I'm already late, so I might as well." Rinoa said with a shrug, sitting down.

"I did try to warn you," Squall said, eyebrows raised.

Rinoa snorted, "Yeah, well it's not my fault you're too damn sexy for me to keep my hands off of."

Squall rolled his eyes gave an exaggerated sigh, "Yeah, I _know_. It's _such_ a trial, being a sex symbol."

"Humble too. I like that about you." Rinoa retorted with a smirk. Squall laughed quietly and leaned on the table, hands braced against it, and captured her lips once more. Then he straightened up with a sexy grin and turned toward the galley, starting to work on the aforementioned scrambled eggs.

"So, I told my dad I had a date for the ball. That's coming up pretty soon you know." Rinoa reminded him.

"Yeah? What did he say?" Squall asked, glancing back over his shoulder at her.

"Well, he was anxious to meet you...until I told him your name." Rinoa answered, biting her lip. "Then his face just sort of ..froze..and he got real quiet."

Squall turned around, frowning, and said, "I've told you before I'm not afraid of him. And as far as I'm concerned, you shouldn't worry what he thinks. If he remembers anything at all about me, it's from when I was working as a SeeD. That was years ago, and like I said, I'd always been professional with him."

"I'm not worried what he'll think...not really.." Rinoa said, suddenly very interested in her coffee, frowning into it.

"But?" Squall asked. When Rinoa didn't answer he sighed, transferring the scrambled eggs onto a plate, grabbing a fork and some toast, taking it to the table and setting it down in front of her.

Then he sat down opposite of her and said, "You have nothing to worry about on my account. There's nothing your father can do that will run me off. It'll be fine."

"Yeah, you've already proven that you don't scare easy. I don't know what I'm worried about." Rinoa replied, shaking her head and taking a small bite of the eggs. "You've found your tux, right?"

Squall nodded, "It's been cleaned and put away. Everything's ready, unless you think I ought to cut my hair." He brushed his hand over the currently unruly mop it had become. It had grown quite long over the last few months, long enough now that he needed to pull it into a pony tail like Irvine did to keep it out of his eyes. He'd considered cutting it more than once, and just hadn't gotten around to it, and then found that he rather liked it long.

Rinoa tilted her head, studying him, then shook her head. "Keep it. It looks a fright right now, but even bedhead looks sexy on you. You'll look too hot for words with it pulled back."

"If you say so." Squall said.

"I do, but it's up to you if you want to cut it or not. I'd be fine with it either way." Rinoa said with a smile.

"I see. Well I've pretty much figured out everything for that night. I've booked a car, made reservations at Tou Monde-" Squall began.

"Tou Monde? Really? And you _got_ them?" Rinoa asked, impressed.

Squall raised an eyebrow, "I did. And you should know my varied past by now. It's had a few side benefits. Besides, it's still a couple of weeks away. Far enough in advance I'd have gotten them anyway."

"If you say so." Rinoa said, finishing her eggs. "You hired a car too? You didn't need to..."

"I wanted to." he said, smiling, adding, "I thought it would be a nice change of pace for me to pick you up for a change."

Rinoa stood, sighing, after taking a quick glance at her watch. Picking up her plate, she turned toward the galley but Squall took it from her and placed it in the sink while she gathered her things and called Angelo.

"Leave her." Squall said. "Just go on to work. I'll take her home."

"You sure that won't be any trouble for you?" Rinoa asked, torn. She really did need to go to work _right then_. Okay, she was already late but not horribly so, and it would be easy enough to make up through lunch.

"No," Squall assured her, bending down to scratch Angelo's ears. "I like your dog. I'll walk her over later."

"All right," Rinoa finally agreed, reaching down to pat the dog as well. Straightening up, she approached him and leaned in for a kiss.

He captured her lips in a soft kiss that held just a hint of heat...and the promise of more where that came from. His arms snaked around her and he held her close. She could both hear and feel his heart thudding, and realized hers was beating just as hard.

"Dinner at my place tonight?" she asked softly.

"Absolutely." He answered.

Sighing, Rinoa shouldered her purse and turned to leave.

"I'll see you later." He smiled slightly at her as she turned and gave him a sketchy wave before leaving.

* * *

Rinoa checked herself after she got into her car and decided she was more or less presentable. She had left some work clothes there the Friday before and Squall had been kind enough to include them in his weekly laundering. So she didn't have to worry about looking like she'd awakened in a bed not her own, even though that was precisely what had happened. Not that she was ashamed at all, and by now most everyone at the office knew about her smoking hot boyfriend. Still, it didn't do to be flagrantly slovenly about it. Even the office slut was well put together when he rolled into work from wherever he'd spent the previous night.

She was apprehensive about him meeting her father though, despite his assurance that they'd already met in a professional capacity and that her father didn't scare him. Viewed rationally, she really had nothing to worry about. She was an adult, she had her own job and her own money, and the family fortune meant nothing to her. Her father only had as much power over her as she let him have. That independence was hard-won though, coming at the cost of her heart when Allyn had died.

Well-intentioned or not, Caraway had pushed young men at her in the hopes of her finding another Allyn until Rinoa had gotten fed up with it and with him. Each young man had a particular pedigree and rank and were everything that Caraway wanted in a son-in-law...and _nothing_ that Rinoa wanted in a husband. Not anymore. She had learned that she didn't want a man that her father could order around, and that the exact opposite was true for her father. Oh, she knew that her father didn't intend for Allyn to die, but he had given the orders, and Allyn had followed them.

That would never be the case for Squall. Yes, he'd worked previously in a military capacity, but as a SeeD, a specialist, not a regular army grunt. And while he might have had to follow orders while on a hire, he'd quickly risen to a position equivalent to her father in rank. As Commander, he'd given far more orders than he'd followed. And now he was completely his own man and subject to no one but himself, at least in the context of employment. And perhaps in every other capacity as well. In short, he was the complete opposite of pretty much every other man her father had wanted her matched with. That was at least _part_ of his attraction for her, though by no means a _large_ part of it.

His arresting looks had gotten her attention first, of course. She wasn't blind, and Squall was exceedingly attractive. Little wonder he'd made good money as a lover-for-hire. But that alone wouldn't have held her in thrall after their first few hours together, if he hadn't also contained depths which she had yet to plumb and complexities to his personality that constantly intrigued her. He'd said that she always surprised him, and that was what he found most attractive; it was the same for her. Initially aloof, bordering on unfriendly, he'd then moved from that to a reserved sensuality that she had to assume was his professional attitude to all of his customers. It said, "I will give you this much and no more. My body will pleasure yours and that will be the end of it."

Only, it wasn't. Not for her, and surprisingly, after their first night together, not for _him_ either.

She checked her watch as she pulled into a parking space at work, grimacing slightly. She wasn't terribly late, only an hour, but she'd have to stay late to make up for it. She was glad that Squall had volunteered to walk Angelo home for her. She knew that he had business to conduct as well, and was grateful that he'd been willing to take the time to do that for her. She made a mental note to pick up a six pack of his favorite beer as a 'thank you', though come to think of it, there were _far_ more entertaining ways to thank him...

"Good morning Miss Heartilly," the receptionist greeted her as she walked into the lobby to the office building that housed the executive offices of the Galbadian Bears. Rinoa returned her greeting abstractedly, mind already turning toward the latest promotional campaign as she headed toward the elevator. Or _trying_ to. It kept coming back to their morning interlude, and what she wanted to do with Squall later on. More of the same of course, but like him, she could never tire of it or of _him_.

"Was he cute?" a voice behind her asked, after she'd entered and pressed the button to her floor, causing her to jump in surprise and place a hand over her suddenly pounding heart.

Turning to face the speaker, Rinoa gasped, "I'm so sorry! I had no idea you were there!"

"I imagine not. You looked like you were remembering something pleasant. I didn't want to interrupt." The woman said dryly. She was beautiful, elegantly put together in a tailored designer suit. She appeared to be in her mid-forties, though she could have been a good bit older, depending on if she'd been surgically maintained or not. Tall and stately, she had rich blond hair swept into a smooth chignon, diamond studs in her ears, and a gold and diamond necklace that disappeared into the ample cleavage revealed by the flame-red silk blouse she wore. The bright blaze of color contrasted with the black suit and drew the eye. Rinoa thought that she might be one of the sales executives or perhaps a member of the Administrative Staff.

Face flaming, Rinoa replied, "Thank you. I was actually. And yeah, he's gorgeous."

The woman laughed at her honest response, saying, "Well good for you! Is he your husband? Boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend." Rinoa answered.

"I see," The woman nodded. Then she said with a smirk, "Well sorry for interrupting your...reminiscing."

"That's okay, Ms..."

"Cassel. _Mrs_. Cassel to be exact. But you can call me Irene." The woman held out her hand, and Rinoa shook it, staring.

"I'm...I'm Rinoa. Rinoa Heartilly...Ma'am. It's very nice to meet you." The elevator stopped, chiming at Rinoa's floor. The doors opened and she said unnecessarily, "My floor...um, have a nice day Mrs...I mean, Irene."

"You as well Ms. Heartilly." The woman smiled, giving her a small wave as Rinoa exited the elevator.

Irene Cassel. _The_ Irene Cassel. Wife of George Cassel, owner of the Galbadian Bears. She was also the Chief Financial Officer, and that position was by no means a sinecure, she'd actually _earned_ it by the time she and George married some ten years ago. She was smart, beautiful, driven, and damned intimidating to meet. But surprisingly personable, now that Rinoa had actually met her. She wondered if that little bit of serendipity would have any bearing on the rest of her day.

If it did, she couldn't tell. She greeted her assistant absently, grabbed a cup of coffee for fortification, and threw herself into her current stack of assignments, hoping to accomplish as much as possible so as to be able to make it back home to Squall at a decent hour. She paused for a moment, simply savoring the thought. No, he wasn't living with her, but he _did_ say he'd be there tonight. And it didn't take too much thought to imagine what it would be like to have him there, every night, every day...and Gods, she wanted that, _so much_! She didn't want to push, put too much expectation on him...she _wanted_ to let things be to develop as they would...but she already knew what _she_ wanted, and it was Squall. For as long as he wanted to be with her. Preferably forever. It scared her a little, how much she'd come to love him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok. More fluff and mush. But a little bit of plot too. Now to the next chapter...which I'm thinking is about due to have some surprises tossed in. Stay tuned!


	24. Chapter 24

Squall settled his tuxedo jacket onto his shoulders and shrugged, testing the fit. His physical contours hadn't changed to any great extent since the last time he'd worn it, but he'd consulted with a tailor before having it cleaned, just to be safe. Smoothing the lapels down his chest, he buttoned it and studied his reflection in the mirror on his bedroom door. Perfect.

He'd decided against a tie, going instead for a collarless tuxedo shirt. And he'd smoothed his hair back and confined it into a pony tail at his nape, surprised that it had gotten so long. He snorted to himself at that. Hair tended to do that if one wasn't paying too close attention.

Unbuttoning his suit jacket again, Squall opened it briefly, then picked up a flat box and tucked it into the breast pocket. Another box, this one smaller, was placed into his right trouser pocket. Finally, he picked up the last item he'd left lying on his miniscule dresser: A .380 semi- automatic pistol, which he secreted away into a holster at his left ankle.

A necessary precaution, and one that the insurance company had virtually insisted upon. But while he had the option of going armed or not, because he was attending a social function with his girlfriend, they _did_ insist upon the two armed security personnel that were waiting outside for him.

He checked his watch, noting the time, then left his bedroom and walked up on to the deck of his boat, locking the door to the cabin behind him. Then he strode across the deck, down the steps leading toward the quay, then out to the parking lot and the limo that waited.

"Took you long enough," Irvine drawled, leaning easily against the side of the car, elegantly dressed in a black, western cut formal suit and hat for the occasion.

"You were early." Squall said.

"Well, Mr. Leonhart, your carriage awaits." Zell said with a grin as he opened the back door to the car with a flourish.

Squall simply gave him a droll look, folding his arms, then said, "I get why we have to do this. I don't _like_ it, but I get it."

Zell simply motioned toward the awaiting car with both eyebrows raised and his impish grin firmly in place. He too was formally dressed and, Squall had little doubt, armed with more than just his fists.

"Hey, just be glad its us and not those two gorillas the insurance guys _wanted_ to hire. At least you know we'll actually have your back." Irvine commented from the driver's seat, glancing back over his shoulder at Squall before returning his attention to his job and starting the engine.

Zell occupied the front seat next to Irvine and he too glanced back at Squall, saying, "I think the dude actually jumped for joy after we left. It's not every day you get two high-ranking SeeDs willing to do bodyguard work for next to nothing."

"And yeah, I know you were a SeeD and Commander and all of that Squall, and I have no doubt that you can handle yourself just fine. But, you're going to be out at a social function with your girlfriend, and if that little rock I know you have in your hip pocket means what I think it does, you are in _no way_ going to be concentrating on anything but _her_. So don't worry about it bro. We got this." Irvine said firmly, pulling the car away from the harbor's parking lot and heading toward Rinoa's apartment.

"Maybe I'm overreaching..." Squall said quietly, half to himself. What kind of idiot puts a necklace around his girlfriends neck that's worth more than her head?

"Nope. You're showing off. That's different. Like it or not, you're going to stroll into that ballroom with a gorgeous date wearing a priceless necklace and everyone is going to see it and want to know who you are and how you managed to get it. That can be good, and that can also be bad. So, we're here in case it gets bad." Zell replied.

"And hey, when all those snoots at that Officer's Ball get a gander at that thing, you won't have any problem with selling it if that's what you want to do." Irvine piped up.

"Everyone there's going to be connected to Galbadia's military in some way. I don't know many soldiers, even career generals like Rinoa's father, who can come up with the gil to buy it," Squall said with a shrug.

"You never know. Might be a senator or two there. Maybe some diplomats, or the Duke of Dollet or something." Irvine said.

"Maybe..." Squall said absently, then froze in dawning horror as Irvine's comment sank in fully. _A senator or two. Maybe some diplomats_...

_No. No way. She couldn't POSSIBLY be there, could she?_

Squall's mind raced as he tried to remember if that _particular_ senator was still serving in office. It had been two years since he'd even given a second's notice to Galbadia's politics, and he'd only done that when it might have an impact, either directly, or indirectly, on his job as SeeD Commander.

"Irvine, you wouldn't happen to remember when the last senatorial election was here, would you?" Squall asked with a casualness he in no way felt.

"No," Irvine snorted in reply. "I live in Balamb. Why would I pay attention to politics here? Nothing's happened in recent years that has anything to do with Balamb or SeeD. Why?"

"No reason. Just curious." Squall answered. Maybe she wouldn't be there. Maybe he was worrying for nothing.

Maybe.

Sure. And maybe every monster currently inhabiting his island would suddenly oblige him by dropping dead en masse, thus making his job clearing it out _much_ easier.

Squall took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. Regardless, it was too late to back out now. Resolute, he determined to make the most of the night, and leave the rest to fate.

* * *

Rinoa was nervous, and she had no idea why. She'd gone on a dozen dates with Squall by now... _Actual_ dates, not just evenings spent at either his place or hers. She had no real reason to be nervous.

Not unless one took into account the fact that Squall was meeting her father, in a very public setting, for the first time as her _boyfriend_ , rather than the SeeD Commander that her father had dealt with in the past. Squall didn't seemed perturbed by this, and Rinoa felt she should follow his example and relax...but she also knew her father. He might be polite about it, but she had few illusions that he would welcome Squall into the family with open arms.

Even Allyn had had to earn his respect.

Rinoa hoped that Squall's past tenure as SeeD Commander and current occupation of real-estate investor would be enough to afford him that same respect from Caraway.

Checking her watch, she smoothed the dress down her thighs and studied her reflection. Hair and makeup done professionally and perfectly, along with a manicure to boot, and she was reasonably certain she would at least not embarrass her father with her appearance.

A knock sounded at her door and she glanced at her watch again, smiling to herself. Squall was right on time, as usual. She rather liked that about military men, even retired ones; they were very punctual.

Crossing her apartment, calming Angelo's warning barks at the same time, she opened the door...and forgot to breathe.

Squall stood on the other side of the doorway looking absolutely stunning in a traditional black tuxedo, with a non-traditional collarless white shirt. His hair was slicked back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck; the normally wayward strands somehow tamed into formal elegance. The last rays of the setting sun glinted off his silver earring, and brought sparks of copper and gold from his hair as well. He was...breathtaking.

They stood for a long moment, simply staring at each other. Long enough in fact that Rinoa suddenly wanted to laugh; both at Squall's stunned expression and at the fact that she was sure she was wearing the exact same look on her face.

"You look...amazing." They both said at the same time, then they laughed.

"Thank you." Rinoa smiled, feeling her cheeks warming.

"Thank _you_." Squall said, stepping inside, confusing Rinoa for a moment. She had thought that he'd simply pick her up and they'd leave.

"Squall?" she asked, wondering what he was up to. "Don't we have dinner reservations?"

"We do," He assured her. "This won't take but a minute." He unbuttoned his coat and Rinoa frowned.

"What won't?" She asked.

"This," He said, pulling a long, flat box from his breast pocket. "I picked it up this morning. They almost wouldn't let me take it. They hadn't had a chance to appraise it, you know, for insurance purposes but...I wanted to see what it looked like on you." As he spoke, he opened the box.

Rinoa's jaw dropped. The cutters had finished with his diamond, he'd told her that weeks ago. What he _hadn't_ told her was that he'd had it made into the most amazingly beautiful necklace that she'd ever seen. It rested on black velvet in the box, the large central stone and the gems on either side glowing with a brilliance that stunned.

Automatically, her hand came up and grasped her mother's wedding band on its simple chain that she currently wore around her neck, swallowing.

"You don't have to take it off. In fact, I'd rather that you didn't. I know how much it means to you..." Squall said.

"But..." Rinoa began. Wouldn't it clash with the diamonds?

"It'll be fine. Try it on anyway. If it doesn't work we'll leave it off." He said with a shrug.

"All right." she said.

"Hold this?" Squall asked, placing the box in her hands so that he could lift the necklace out of it. Coming around behind her, he brought it up to her neck and fastened it, smoothing his fingers over it, brushing her neck as well and sending a shivery thrill down her spine. The cool weight of them was surprising; she wasn't in the habit of wearing gemstones. Reaching up, she rested her hand on the central stone and the smaller ones that graduated back from it.

Feeling surreal, like she was caught in a dream, Rinoa walked toward the mirror on the back of her bedroom door to see what it looked like.

"I thought you only had the one stone," she said. She met Squall's eyes in the mirror as he came up behind her and studied her reflection.

"I did. It was quite large, remember? The main stone is the pendant. It ended up at something like six hundred carats. The smaller ones that graduate back from it were cut from what was left after the main stone was finished. I was surprised that they got so many from that one stone but...the cutter told me the raw stone itself was nearly flawless. He said they could literally cut dozens more in various sizes just from the shards." Squall explained. The he added softly, "It looks beautiful on you."

Rinoa swallowed, caressing the stones briefly, then letting her hand drop to her side. "It's...unbelievable. Beautiful of course but...it's too much."

Squall's hand caressed Rinoa's neck, making her breath catch, and he asked, "you don't want to wear it?"

"Maybe for tonight. But I wouldn't want to keep it." Rinoa said. "It's completely impractical."

Squall snorted, "you have a point. Well, I'd planned on auctioning it off anyway. Let it be someone else's problem. As long as you don't mind showing it off for me."

Rinoa smiled at that, "No. I don't mind." Turning to face him, she added, "I have to admit that I feel a bit like a princess wearing it."

Squall tilted his head and gave her a half smile, then took her hand in his and brought it up to his lips for a soft, warm kiss. "Not a princess," He said. "A Queen."

Rinoa could feel heat in her cheeks as she flushed at his solemn statement, swallowing and taking a deep, shaking breath to regain her equilibrium. Squall noticed of course, but said nothing, giving her a sweet smile instead.

Still holding her hand, he turned and tucked it into the crook of his arm, asking, "Shall we go then, my lady?"

"Yes," she answered.

* * *

It was distinctly awkward to have his friends with him on his date with Rinoa, though to give them full credit, they were very professional about it and not at all intrusive. Still, it felt very odd for him to be on the receiving end of their protection services.

Rinoa had been surprised, and he could tell, not very happy about seeing both Irvine and Zell waiting for them on either side of her doorway. That of course had led to Squall explaining their presence and her less than enthusiastic acceptance of their necessity.

"It's not that I don't like you guys," She'd hastened to explain when Irvine had put on an exaggeratedly hurt expression. "It's just that this is a _date_.. with Squall and I. I wasn't expecting _bodyguards_..."

"Neither was _he_ ," Zell had said, jabbing his thumb in Squall's direction. "Thought he could handle this on his own. Fortunately, sense won out and we got the gig. So he can concentrate on _you_ , and _we'll_ concentrate on keeping you both intact. "

"Yeah, tough call, that, but there are some folks that might think those pretty rocks around your neck are worth both your life _and_ his." Irvine said seriously.

Squall's response had been to simply glare at them. He didn't need to have that subject brought up, not when he had other intentions that had now been spoiled.

Dinner had therefore been a rather subdued affair. The reaction of the restaurant's host upon seeing Rinoa, and then seeing the _necklace_ , though truthfully, Squall couldn't tell which had impressed the man more, had left Rinoa appearing both embarrassed and gratified.

Indeed, she drew the eye as they were ushered through the establishment. Her hair was swept into a lovely up do, her skin and makeup was subtly luminous, highlighting her natural beauty. The dress was a lovely designer gown of sky-blue silk that skimmed her curves and floated ethereally around her. And the necklace? It looked like a constellation of stars plucked from heaven and fastened upon a chain for her to wear around her neck. Squall found it and the regal manner in which she wore it to be incredibly enticing. He was suddenly very appreciative of Zell and Irvine's discrete presence. Not on _his_ account, but _hers_.

A waiter appeared as if by magic the moment they were seated, and took their orders for a glass of wine each while they considered the listed appetizers and entrees.

While Rinoa appeared engrossed in studying the menu, Squall laid his down and simply studied her. He already knew what he wanted, and it wasn't on the menu here anyway. He snuck a quick look around, but didn't see Irvine or Zell; he knew they were nearby but as per their profession, were being very circumspect. They were trying to give him as much privacy as possible and he appreciated their efforts.

"I'm sorry," Squall said softly.

"About what?" Rinoa asked, looking up and frowning slightly.

"This. The whole bodyguard thing. I don't know what I was thinking, bringing that with me..." he answered, gesturing toward the necklace.

"It's okay." she smiled, touching it, then letting her hand drop to the table. "It's truly gorgeous. Whoever designed it did a wonderful job."

"You can tell him yourself when we leave. Zell designed it." Squall answered. "He'll be happy you like it."

"I do. Don't worry that I'll want to keep it though, it's way too much for me. The insurance alone would likely cost more than my rent." Rinoa said, adding, "Diamonds aren't really my style anyway."

"I rather thought not. I've never seen you wear anything but that necklace with the ring on it." Squall said. "I did want to see how it looked on you though, and truth be told, generate interest in the neckace itself. It'll sell better if it's seen around the neck of a beautiful woman."

Rinoa's cheeks bloomed a rosy pink blush at this, and she attempted to hide it by burying her nose in her wineglass.

"Thank you," she said softly, then smiled and commented. "I love that you're so comfortable with me that you can casually give me a priceless necklace to wear and tell me in the next instant that I can't keep it. _Some_ women would be highly affronted by that."

"Fortunately, you're not one of those women. And I am very glad of it." Squall said with a smile right back, raising his wineglass in a silent toast before taking a sip. He was very much aware of the _other_ box he had in his pocket, one that he _hadn't_ shown Rinoa yet.

He slipped his hand into the pocket and closed it around the box and its precious cargo, feeling a little bit anxious about it. Oddly, the feel of it in his hand seemed to anchor him and solidify his purpose in bringing it. He only needed the right moment...

The arrival of their meals distracted him from his thoughts and brought his focus back to the here and now. The cuisine of course was world class, sumptuous fare, a feast for both the eyes and the palate.

Rinoa sighed and rolled her eyes as she took a bite, sighing, "I've heard this place was fabulous. For once the rumors were right." Taking another sip of her wine, she asked, "So, how are things going with your island? You've been so busy with it lately I've hardly seen you. I was starting to worry..."

"It's going well. Irvine and Zell are taking turns leading hunts into it now. They've both done one each and it turned out pretty well. We're making a good bit of progress too, enough that I've finally managed to get a proper surveying team in. It's still a little dicey though. Still need to have a full protection team and lots of ammo. But it's getting there. Hopefully in the next week or two I can get some geologists and vulcanologists out there to do some studies for me." Squall answered her. He dropped his gaze to his wineglass briefly, adding softly, "I'm sorry to worry you. I know you've been kept busy at work too. If it makes you feel any better, I miss you terribly when I'm out there. I can't wait to share it with you, which is one reason why I'm working so hard to get rid of the monsters on it. I don't want to lead you into danger..."

Rinoa reached out and caressed the back of his hand lightly. He obligingly lay his fork down and turned his hand over, taking hers and squeezing it, his grip solid, warm, and strong. "I know you don't. And I don't want to lose you to the same danger. When days go by without a word from you, when you aren't back when you're supposed to be...it scares me. I know you can't use your cellphone when you're out there, but still, I worry when I don't hear anything from you when you're scheduled to be back in port and you run late."

"I'm sorry..." Squall began, frowning down at their joined hands. Hyne, now what? This wasn't going at _all_ the way he'd hoped...

"I know you don't have a lot of control over that," Rinoa replied. " I just wanted you to know that I do worry. But don't let that stop you from doing what you need to do. Just be careful."

"I will." Squall said firmly.

They finished their dinner shortly afterward, with Squall encouraging its end by looking at his watch and commenting, "We'd better get going now if we're going to make it to the ball on time."

"All right," Rinoa said, picking up her clutch purse and getting ready to leave while Squall dealt with the bill.

As they walked out of the restaurant, Irvine and Zell suddenly appeared from nowhere...seriously... How do SeeDs _do_ that? She wondered. As they fell into step before and behind them, with Irvine playing the part of chauffer very well indeed, ushering them into the limo, Rinoa wondered if she should warn Squall about the society writers and photographers that tended to turn up there.

She didn't think they'd be important or interesting enough to get much attention from them though. Monstrous diamond necklace notwithstanding, neither she nor Squall were terribly famous or politically connected, despite her being General Caraway's daughter. The reporters and photogs from the local gossip rags tended to stalk people who were _far_ more high profile. She might draw some attention because of the necklace; it was hard to miss, but it would likely just be in passing.

She hoped so, anyway.

* * *

The scene, upon their arrival at the Galbadian Hotel where the Spring Officer's Ball was taking place, was rather more frenetic than Rinoa remembered. At least it seemed so to her.

Perhaps it was the elegant limousine that they emerged from in front of the hotel, though it was hardly the first such arrival. That alone would not have generated a great deal of attention. Some perhaps, but not that much. And while Rinoa thought she looked pretty good, she didn't think she was so attractive that the gathered photogs would fight for position to take a picture of _her_.

It had to be Squall. At least to Rinoa's somewhat biased thinking. He was handsome and polished, with a poised, upright bearing that all military officers, active or not, carried with them all their lives. It had nothing to do with his actual height, though he was tall enough; certainly taller than Rinoa, if only average in actuality when compared to other men. It was his _presence_. Those sharp ice-blue eyes, the attractive but scarred face, the urbane, immaculate look coupled with the rebellious ponytail at his nape; they drew the eye.

But when the paparazzi started flashing away at them, it was Rinoa who bore the brunt of it. She'd quite forgotten about the brilliant string of _huge_ diamonds encircling her neck. Society photographers jostled for position while snapping away, gossip reporters of every stripe called out questions to her and to Squall; questions which were roundly ignored.

Zell's discreet presence was actually very reassuring. Not that she didn't feel safe with Squall; quite the contrary. She was simply glad that he had his friends as backup.

"Sorry, I'd forgotten about this part of it," Rinoa sighed.

"Well, to be fair the necklace, _and_ it's wearer, are very eye-catching. I suppose I can't blame them for wanting their pictures." Squall murmured to her as they dared the gauntlet, with Zell and Irvine helpfully running interference.

"I rather thought it was you they were interested in." Rinoa said.

Squall snorted, "Hardly. This is all for you. And if you ask me, even without those rocks around your neck you'll outshine everyone here."

"We haven't even _seen_ anyone yet..."Rinoa tried.

A photographer, possessed of a bit more audacity and luck than the others, somehow managed to cross their path, blocking them.

"Miss Heartilly!" He called out urgently, "Just one picture please! You look gorgeous! Where'd you get the necklace?"

Squall wrapped his arm protectively around her waist and paused, assessing the man, while Irvine and Zell watched him carefully, preparing to take whatever action was needed.

"It's okay," Rinoa whispered to Squall, feeling his tension. "He's just a local photographer. I've seen him here before."

Squall simply studied her for a moment, reading her lack of concern in her relatively relaxed expression and posture, and relaxed a little himself. But he didn't remove his arm from her waist, nor did he shift his posture in any great degree, angling his body between hers and the photographer.

Directing her attention to the man, Rinoa answered, "Thank you. I'm just borrowing the necklace."

"Are they real diamonds?" The man asked curiously as he lined up his shot. At her nod, he added, "whose are they?"

"They're his," Rinoa answered, gesturing toward Squall and smiling up at him. The photographer chose that moment to snap his picture, much to Squall's irritation. There was nothing he hated more than having his picture taken. He'd grown used to it from Rinoa, though it still made him a little uncomfortable.

"Really? Wow! Where'd they come from?" the man asked again, shifting his position again for another angle. "Could you look this way Mr...?"

"Leonhart." Squall answered shortly, declining to provide any other information. The questions and insistent snaps and flash of the camera were beginning to get on his nerves. He knew, intellectually, that it was no longer necessary to avoid being photographed. But his natural tendency to avoid attention, which was reinforced by his training as a SeeD, made it very difficult for him to feel comfortable with the idea of someone taking his picture. He rather felt as though it would appear on a Most Wanted poster somewhere.

"Mr. Leonhart? Could you look this way please? And maybe smile?" the photographer asked. Squall's answering glare could have melted steel, and the man backed off.

"Relax Squall, he's harmless. Really." Rinoa whispered in concern, feeling his tension increase exponentially. He'd relaxed a little when the focus was on her, but when it was directed to _him_...

She wasn't afraid that he'd _do_ anything, he knew how to handle social engagements very well. But she _did_ want this to be a nice night for them both and starting it off by annoying the hell out of him didn't bode well for the remainder of the evening.

"One more Miss Heartilly? Please?" the man asked one more time, and Squall was seriously considering throttling the man. He wondered if a "self-defense" plea would fly. Certainly, the size of the camera lens was threatening enough...

Rinoa smiled brilliantly at the photographer, whose camera clicked busily at her, then she rose up on her tiptoes, took her fingers and gently turned his face to hers, and kissed him full on the lips. His initial start of surprise and rigid stance at first had her worried that she'd just made a major blunder. Then he...melted. That was the only way she could describe what he did.

One moment, he was as cold and unresponsive as a block of ice, irritation and tension thrumming though him like a plucked string. The next, his lips softened and the tension was released on a long breath as he pulled her hard against him, kissing her deeply in defiance of their burgeoning audience.

If he was aware of the photographer happily snapping away at them, he gave no sign. But the look in his eyes as he pulled back made Rinoa swallow. He was aware. And he was _not_ happy about it.

Clearing her throat, hoping he could see the apology in her eyes, Rinoa said softly, "We'd better go in. He's gotten what he wanted."

"What about you?" Squall asked her pointedly, and she flinched.

No. He was _not_ happy. Not at all.

* * *

Things went downhill from there.

First of course was Rinoa introducing him officially to her father as her date... and her boyfriend. The general was less than pleased, though he took pains not to display this _too_ openly. But the flinty look in his eyes was not hard to mistake.

Nor was the almost too tight grip he gave to Squall when they shook hands. It wasn't painful, precisely, and Squall gave as good as he got, one eyebrow raised sardonically at the attempt.

They circled each other like wolves, taking each other's measure. Gauging each other's strength. Assessing each other's character.

The conversation went something like this:

"So you're Rinoa's boyfriend?" _Are you fucking my daughter?_

"Yes." _Yes I am. Deal with it._

"I heard you left SeeD." _What are you doing for a living now?_

"I retired. I finally located my sister and as it turned out, she needed me. I'm self-employed now." _I had more important things to worry about than SeeD. And I'm my own person now._

This surprised Caraway and he met Squall's eyes briefly, asking, "I wasn't aware you had a sister."

" _Nobody_ was aware." Squall replied dryly.

Caraway nodded, "Understandable, I suppose." Then he turned and studied Squall keenly, asking, "How did you lose contact with her?" _Will you trust me with information about your family? About YOU?_

Squall studied Caraway in turn, before answering, "We were orphans. We were separated when I was about five or so. I was sent to Balamb not long after that."

Caraway turned and gazed out onto the ballroom floor where Rinoa was currently dancing with someone she claimed was a friend. Squall wasn't terribly pleased with that, but etiquette demanded that she go when the man had asked, and Caraway's stolid presence kept Squall captive as the man subtly grilled him. He supposed he could have simply left, but the general was a stickler for protocol, and it was unspeakably rude to simply _walk away_ from someone with whom you were engaged in conversation without a by-your-leave.

Of course, this was more of an _interrogation_ than a conversation. The protocols for escaping _that_ were slightly different...

"So. Self-employed, huh? What is it you do?" _Are you freelancing now? Nothing's worse than a freelance mercenary..._

"I suppose you could say I'm an entrepreneur." Squall answered. _Figure THAT one out_.

"Huh." _Not impressed. Loser._

A waiter was circulating throughout the ballroom with a tray laden with filled flutes of champagne. Caraway took one, and Squall did the same, taking a sip of the sparkling liquid. It was good champagne at least; cool, nicely effervescent, and a good balance between dry and just slightly sweet.

"Rinoa said those are _real_ diamonds around her neck?" Caraway asked, not bothering to hide his skepticism. _Where'd you steal those from?_

Squall smiled slightly at this, and answered, "Yes. I found them in a cave on an island I bought a few months ago." _Take THAT_.

"You put diamonds worth more than my daughter's life around her neck. Well done Leonhart." _Idiot_.

_That_ stung. Mainly because it was true and Squall had realized it too late for the situation to be rectified. On the other hand...

"I have two SeeDs here as bodyguards." Squall defended, still feeling as though he was losing ground. Then he turned and met Caraway's eyes and registered his shock as he said distinctly, "And your daughter's life is worth much, much more to me than a string of pretty rocks. I've told her if anyone wants them, they can have them. She's to hand them over without any argument. Now, if you'll excuse me sir, I'd like to go dance with her." _Game, set and match, you old bastard. I love her_.

Squall could feel the man's eyes boring into his back as he turned away and started searching for Rinoa, feeling as though he'd narrowly escaped evisceration. No, he wasn't _scared_ of Caraway, but the man certainly was a force to be reckoned with, and Squall gave him due respect.

Things _might_ have improved from there, but Squall really didn't think Caraway was done with him. He'd just won a momentary reprieve by pulling his trump card.

Still, the evening might have been salvaged had it not been for the senator. Squall was beginning to hope so when he finally caught up with Rinoa and pointedly reclaimed her from her dance partner by dint of another of his icy glares. They were much more effective in getting his point across than anything else he could have done, at least in _his_ experience.

"Not much for small talk, are you?" Rinoa asked with a smile as he took her into his arms and picked up the rhythm of the dance from where the other man had left off.

"No. But you knew that." Squall answered. His irritation from earlier, coupled with the verbal sparring match he'd engaged in with the general, had left him feeling off-balance. Still, simply holding her in his arms and seeing her smile, and the light in her eyes that was just for _him_...went a long way toward restoring his equilibrium.

"I know." Rinoa said, looking pensive. "I'm sorry, about...well, everything. I mean, I really didn't think we'd rate a paparazzi attack, not with the chiefs of staff and various senators and so on here. And then my father...well.."

Squall snorted at that last bit, saying, "He's your father. Enough said."

"Yeah, you're right." Rinoa laughed softly.

"I suppose I owe you an apology as well, for _this_." He gestured toward the necklace.

"You already gave me one."

"So I did."

They danced for awhile longer, then Rinoa expressed the desire for a break. Squall was more than agreeable to leaving the dance floor-on the _opposite_ side of the ballroom from General Caraway-and taking a bit of a breather. Not that he was _tired_ , and while he _was_ deliberately avoiding Caraway for the moment, it was only so that he could regroup.

He'd been to the Grand Ballroom in the Galbadia Hotel before. They'd done it up quite nicely for the ball; fresh flowers adorned every alcove, a live string quartet played classical music to perfection, and warm golden light gleamed and sparked from the jewels and campaign medals that virtually every attendee was displaying. Rinoa was far from the only woman wearing diamonds that evening.

She _was_ however, undeniably wearing the most impressive ones.

While the ball was _supposed_ to be for military officers and their guests, it was also a big draw for anyone of wealth or influence. The powers that ruled Galbadia, harkening back to its militaristic past, were often in attendance. Virtually everyone in Galbadia had served in the military at some point in their lives; it had been compulsory for generations. And one did not _have_ to be actively serving in order to attend.

The little box in his hip pocket reminded him of its existence, and what he intended to do with it. He'd already marked the exits mentally, just out of habit, and knew that some of them led out into the courtyard garden. He could do with a bit of fresh air, and thought-hoped- that Rinoa would be of a similar frame of mind.

Bending toward her, he brushed her cheek with his lips and murmured softly," The courtyard garden is lovely, and I don't know about you but I need to get out for a little while. Would you care to accompany me there?" Movement at the edge of his vision sent alarm bells ringing, but just this once, he was trusting Irvine and Zell to handle it if it was anything truly threatening.

"Of course. That would be.." Rinoa began, to be interrupted by her father's looming presence.

"Rinoa, I've yet to have a dance from you," he stated, holding his hand out to her. Rinoa sighed softly and gave Squall an apologetic look as she placed her hand into her father's. They'd just started to turn away when another voice stopped them.

"Well, isn't this cozy? General, you look very...military. And Rinoa honey you look stunning. Nice rocks." The alarm bells ringing in Squall's mind intensified. The voice, a woman's, had come from just off of his right shoulder. And his heart sank as he recognized it.

_Oh, Gods. Not her._ He didn't want to turn around. It was a thin hope, but if she didn't see his face, perhaps she wouldn't recognize him. So thinking, he ducked his head slightly and angled his face away from her.

"Senator Saranoff." General Caraway intoned gravely, acknowledging the woman's presence.

"Rinoa dear, are you going to introduce me to your date?" the senator asked pointedly.

_Shit_. Squall squeezed his eyes shut briefly in resignation, quite missing Rinoa's puzzled look.

"Of course. Senator Saranoff, this is Squall Leonhart. Squall, this is Senator Indra Saranoff." Rinoa said smiling.

With an inward sigh, Squall turned around and met the woman's eyes, registering the brief flicker of shock and recognition as he nodded briefly, "Senator."

As protocol demanded, he took her proffered hand and squeezed it, intending to let go immediately. The senator however, tightened her grip, refusing to release his hand right away. When she finally did Squall had to resist the urge to wipe his hand on his pants.

"Mr. Leonhart," she purred. "What an _interesting_ name." Her gaze raked him from head to toe, leaving him feeling oddly violated. Of all of his former clients, _this_ woman was his least favorite by far.

It wasn't that she was unattractive. She was in fact aggressively beautiful, with a perfectly styled mane of blonde hair, a trim and athletically toned body, designer clothes and the best surgical maintenance that money could buy. And she didn't do a _thing_ for him. Not now, anyway.

Turning to Rinoa, she asked, "Is he your new beau?" At Rinoa's nod, she added, "Well, I'm so glad you've found someone to escort you to the ball. You're getting too old to be daddy's date anymore."

"She's not too old to be my dance partner." The general interjected. "If you'll excuse us?"

"Oh, go right ahead. I'll keep your daughter's young man company until you two get back." Senator Saranoff said with an airy wave.

Caraway towed a reluctant and rather concerned looking Rinoa away, and Squall's heart sank further and further the farther away they got. He raised his champange glass and took a healthy swig, wishing it was something stronger. Like bourbon. Or maybe cyanide.

"Well. Fancy meeting _you_ here." The senator said once Rinoa and her father were well out of earshot. "Are you really her beau, or is that just the role you're playing tonight? How much did she have to pay you to get you all the way here from Esthar?"

Squall clenched his teeth at her insinuation, then took a deep breath and answered evenly, "Nothing."

The senator raised an elegant eyebrow and said, "Really? So you're here on your own time then? I _am_ surprised." Then a slow, sensual smile played about her full lips as she added, "You look...delicious. Better than you did in Esthar. I have a room here if you'd care to...take a walk down memory lane. I'll make it worth your time."

"I'm here with a _date_." Squall responded stonily.

The senator scoffed, "Mercenaries and whores share one defining trait: their loyalties lie with the highest bidder. I already know you're for sale dear, it's just a matter of finding your price."

"Good luck with that." Squall said coldly. "Those diamonds around Rinoa's neck are mine, I asked her to wear them for me tonight." Meeting her jade green eyes with his own icy blue ones, he added, "solicitation is illegal here, senator. And I'm no longer working in either of those two professions."

"Says you," Senator Saranoff said, turning to watch the dancers wheeling around the ballroom. Finally she commented casually, "if I should decide to look into where those diamonds came from, what would I find?"

"Nothing that concerns you." Squall replied.

"Are you sure about that? I've found that the deeper you dig, the more dirt you find." she said.

"Speaking from experience are you?" Squall asked rhetorically." Politics is a dirty business." _Lady, if you're looking to start a mudslinging fight, you'd better be aware of who your opponent is. I already have more dirt on you than you do on me._

Suddenly the senator laughed, a low, rippling, sensual sound, and said, "Gods, I think that's what I liked the best about you, Leonhart. A pretty face _and_ razor sharp wits. Stimulating on multiple levels." Smiling in open invitation, she dangled the key to her hotel room from her fingers before dropping it into Squall's half-empty champagne glass.

"Give that back to me later. I'll be waiting." reaching out, she gave his right bicep a squeeze and made a sound of approval, then winked at him and sauntered off, hips swaying noticably.

Squall snorted and raised his glass to take another sip, stopping with a frown when he saw the key sitting at the bottom. Senator Indra Saranoff had been one of his first clients, and had been so impressed with his performance she'd wanted to put him on permanent retainer as a "personal assistant". Desperate as he was for funds, Squall still would not and _could_ not agree to her offer, as it would have forced him to leave Esthar and Ellone. Not only that, the very idea of being Senator Saranoff's personal boy toy virtually screamed slavery, never mind the paycheck. Mercenary or whore, whatever you wanted to call him, he still had _some_ pride.

Her acquisitiveness with regard to his person was more than a little off-putting, though it had worked well enough within the parameters of a weekend's hire. There was a time limit and an understanding that came along with the rules of his job, that he would not rebook. Indeed, _she_ was part of the reason that he adhered to that rule. Other concierges might cultivate regulars, but Squall didn't.

Despite the fact that the senator was both beautiful and powerful, he wasn't the least bit tempted. When a waiter wandered by, Squall stopped him and placed his champagne glass on the tray that the man held.

"Could you make sure that the key in this glass is returned to whomever it belongs to?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, I've skipped ahead to the ball because frankly, I wanted to. More stuff happened on the island but the interplay at the ball was what I was more interested in writing about. And yeah...former client. Awk-ward... So.. More to come. This isn't done yet, just gonna do the rest of it in the next chapter. Let's see if it gets even MORE interesting...


	25. Chapter 25

Rinoa really didn't want to be dragged away from Squall right then, particularly with Senator Blonde and Busty eyeing him like a lion studying a particularly delicious looking gazelle. But she _did_ owe her father a dance, a privilege he was apt to claim at the most inopportune of times as a matter of course. At least it seemed so to her.

Squall didn't look too thrilled about it either, which heartened her a little. So, she gave him a small, apologetic smile as her father urged her away. Squall's answering not-quite-smile was an obvious effort to at least _attempt_ to be polite. It was also glaringly apparent that he wanted to be _anywhere_ else but _there_ , right at the moment.

Of course, the moment they got out onto the dance floor and started dancing, her father started in on her.

"So, you're dating a SeeD now." he stated.

"Squall's not a SeeD anymore." Rinoa replied.

"Once a SeeD, always a SeeD."

"He's retired."

"So he says." Caraway responded cryptically. Then he asked, "how did you two meet, anyway?" _I want to know how you managed to cross paths with the likes of HIM._

 _Careful_ , Rinoa thought. She knew first hand just how skilled her father was at ferreting out information. He'd started out in the Intelligence Corps, which in _this_ particular case, was _not_ an oxymoron. Best to stick to the truth...just not the _whole_ truth. She didn't think her father would be as understanding of Squall's previous employment as she was. Which, if one thought about it, was the very definition of ironic.

"We met in Esthar. I was sent to a spa there as a birthday present and he was the self-defense instructor there." She answered.

"How long have you known each other?" the general asked, cueing her into a graceful turn. Her father truly was a very good dancer. It made Rinoa wonder why he didn't dance with more women than just her.

"Since March." She answered.

"Hm." Caraway grunted noncommittally.

"What?" she asked, miffed at his response.

"What do you know about SeeDs?" He asked her.

"I know they're mercenaries. Squall told me you'd worked with him before." Rinoa answered.

"That's it?" Caraway asked her.

"Yes. Why?" Rinoa asked.

"He ever talk about what he did as a SeeD?" he asked her in turn.

"Not really. Other than telling me that he'd made commander at eighteen and giving me a brief rundown of what his duties were, no." Rinoa answered, wondering why that was even relevant. Squall wasn't a SeeD any longer, had in fact taken great pains to distance himself from it over the last two years, to the point of virtually abandoning his former collegues that still served. Rinoa wondered why, and had never really gotten an answer to that question. Squall was very good at _not answering_ questions that he didn't want to answer.

The music had changed to something more up-tempo, and General Caraway decided a more private talk with his daughter was necessary. The conversation he needed to have with her was best done someplace more private than the middle of a hotel ballroom.

"Come with me Rinoa, I have some things I need to explain to you." Caraway said grimly, taking her firmly by the arm and urging her to follow him. Rinoa glanced desperately back to where she'd last seen Squall. She felt her heart stop when she didn't see him there. He was gone.

_Where's he gone? He didn't actually LEAVE with that sleazy senator lady, did he?_

She followed Caraway without protest, trying to calm herself down and not jump to conclusions. He could have gone to the restroom, or stepped out for some air. Just because he wasn't where she'd seen him last did _not_ mean that he'd _left_. Either alone or with someone else. She took a deep breath and immediately felt better, more calm.

It wasn't destined to last.

General Caraway closed the door behind him and approached Rinoa. She finally had regrouped and was looking around in confusion, wondering why he'd brought her there. It was a smallish, private conference room off the main ballroom. She was surprised it had even been open.

"What..." She began when her father interrupted her, "I wanted this to be a private conversation. What I need to tell you is not for casual listeners."

Rinoa swallowed and licked at her suddenly dry lips, "You don't have to tell me anything. I already know he's was a SeeD and what they do... "

"You only think you know." Caraway said, pacing slowly toward her. He sighed and shook his head, muttering, "of all the people..."

Rinoa frowned and crossed her arms over her chest and asked, "What are you talking about?"

Pinching the bridge of his nose and squeezing his eyes shut, Caraway answered, "Rinoa, SeeDs are to our elite Special Forces like lions are to kittens, and Leonhart was the worst...or the _best_...of the bunch. Take your pick on that one. Just _think_ for a moment about what it would take for someone to reach the highest rank in that organization at eighteen? The man has been trained to kill almost from infancy. Its instinct. You can't walk away from that, no matter how hard you try. It is a _part_ of him."

"But..." Rinoa began. Squall had never been even _close_ to aggressive with her. She never felt anything but safe and loved with him. True, he had an outlet on his island but...

"Just listen to me." Caraway said. "Yes. It's true I had worked with him. Once when he was a regular SeeD, and once after he'd made commander. We have to hire SeeD on occasion to take care of a situations that we can't handle overtly. He was a consummate professional, through and through, and he delivered results. He was _ruthlessly efficient_ in executing his orders. He was cold, calculating, methodical and meticulous...and incredibly dangerous. Even if the action was declassified, I wouldn't tell you what he did. SeeDs are a weapon of last resort. We call them in when everything else has failed and they deliver or die trying. They are highly trained, very skilled killers, and the most frightening thing about them is that they're _smart_ as well. Certainly, Leonhart is. _Stupid_ SeeDs die fast. _Smart_ ones reach the top of the heap and become commander. Everything that makes a man a great SeeD, he has...but...the things it takes to be a great SeeD also makes for a horrible human being."

 _But he's NOT that anymore!_ Rinoa wanted to shout, but she held her peace while her father said his. She _tried_ to anyway.

"If you're with this man to get back at me for Allyn, Rinoa..." Caraway began and Rinoa interrupted sharply, "No. I'm not. I know Allyn's death was just bad luck. The fact that you issued the orders is irrelevant. This isn't some ploy. I don't play those kinds of games. You might think everyone has an agenda, but I don't. I never did."

Caraway smiled slightly at that, "no, you're right about that. But that doesn't mean Leonhart doesn't have one."

"What are you talking about?" Rinoa asked him warily.

"A man who hangs a priceless piece of jewelry around the neck of the woman he's escorting is making a statement. What kind of statement remains to be seen, but the fact is he's making himself highly visible with you wearing that thing. He's planning _something_." He stated.

"Yes, he's planning on auctioning the damn thing off for as much as he can get for it. _That's_ what he's planning." Rinoa snapped. "You don't have to tell me any more father. I've seen the scars on his body. Whatever he did as a SeeD, he's paid the price for, in blood, and pain, and nightmares that leave him trembling. Nightmares that he won't talk about. You may not believe that a man can change in two years but _I_ do. He's _not_ the same person you hired however long ago." She'd had enough. Suddenly, she just wanted to leave. She turned away and headed toward the door.

"Rinoa..." her father called softly behind her. She paused, hand on the doorknob but didn't turn around.

"I never told you how beautiful you look tonight. And the necklace is stunning."

"Good night father." she opened the door and left.

* * *

The night air was fresh and the breeze sweet with the scent of petunia and rose. The courtyard garden was lovely even in the dark, but what Squall liked best about it was the fact that it was virtually deserted.

He had to get out and just _breathe_. The press of people and in particular his encounter with Senator Saranoff, had simply become too much.

He raised his glass and took a drink, grimacing at the bite of alcohol that came along with the woody, smoky flavor of the whiskey. He'd detoured to the bar on his way out for something a little more fortifying than champagne. He found it bracing. They served very good whiskey there.

Somehow, he'd lost track of Rinoa during the course of the evening, though he supposed she was still in the company of her father. Likely still dancing. The crowd had gotten thicker, and distractions had multiplied as a result. He decided he would go and look for her in a little bit, after he finished his drink.

Until then, he figured she was safe enough, with both Irvine and Zell watching over her, and in the company of her father as well.

The necklace had indeed attracted alot of attention, with a few bold souls even approaching him to ask about it. While not at all interested in engaging _anyone_ in the sort of protracted, inane conversation that was the norm at events like this, he at least managed to be civil if not overly warm. And he answered their questions about the diamonds. Whether or not that translated into any bids when they were finally put up for auction was anyone's guess.

Not that it mattered all that much to him, really, aside from the extra gil, which admittedly he could use.

The senator's thinly veiled threat though, that was another thing entirely. _He_ had skeletons in his closet too. More than the senator could even guess in her wildest fantasies. But most of the dirt on _him_ was of the classified variety, and he seriously doubted that she had enough political clout to _de_ -classify it. Not while the current players were in power, at any rate.

All _he_ had to do was to make a phone call and Senator Indra Saranoff's political career would be ended...along with her marriage.

The more high profile the client, the more they had to lose, and there were times that Marti had needed to use that leverage to her advantage. It wasn't something that she, or _Squall_ for that matter, wanted to descend to however. The resort's reputation for discretion had been hard-won, so outing a client had to be considered very carefully.

In the senator's case though, Squall would be more than happy to bury her political career and dance on its grave.

He took a final swallow of his drink and then a deep breath, steeling himself to face the crush of humanity in the ballroom, and set the empty glass aside. A waiter would come by at some point, he knew. He wasn't the only person who'd wandered out into the courtyard this evening.

He did two circuits of the ballroom, threading his way through the crowd, noting sardonically how everyone had more or less formed into groups. There was some drifting back and forth between those groups but for the most part, folks hung together with their cronies.

There were Politicians, Career Military, Top Brass, Movers and Shakers, Foreign Guests (His Grace, the Duke of Dollet, _had_ in fact shown up), mingling with Retired Officers from every branch. There was the odd specialist there as well. They were pretty easy to spot; even the aged, retired ones reminded him of wolves. Teeth blunted and muzzles whitened by time, they were still worthy of the respect they'd earned.

Caraway had that same air. He'd obviously never been a run of the mill grunt, early in his career. Squall knew this for a fact; the general had been forthright enough about his past in the Military Intelligence section of Special Branch.

It had certainly lent weight to the intelligence that he'd imparted to Squall and the SeeDs he'd hired; intelligence which had been both accurate and invaluable. It had made the difference between Squall and his team accomplishing their objective, or dying in the attempt instead.

"Oh! There you are, Mr. Leonhart! I wish a word with you if you please?"

The Duke's heavily accented voice hailed Squall and he sighed inwardly as he turned around to see the man approaching him. The ridiculously formal dress uniform that the Duke wore, in colors of navy blue, white and red, and festooned with an astounding array of medals and gold-braided trim, put Squall in mind of a luxury cruise ship. The mental image was reinforced by the man's large, rather portly frame, his slightly rolling walk-possibly due to the amount of alcohol he'd imbibed- and the way he cut through the crowd like a frigate under full steam.

"Your Grace," Squall said, greeting him with a formal nod.

"You are well this evening, yes?" The duke asked him.

"I am." Squall answered.

"Ah, good. This is good to hear. Where is your lady? My wife, she wishes a closer look at the lovely necklace she is wearing?" The duke inquired politely. His Grace, Duke Eron Strasski of Dollet, was nothing if not polite.

"I was actually looking for her," Squall answered. "Last I saw her, she was dancing with her father."

"Ah," the duke said, turning to scan the crowd with a frown on his face. "I do not see her. She is perhaps dancing with someone else? There are many people here."

"Perhaps." Squall replied, scanning the crowd himself, becoming both irritated and concerned at Rinoa's continued absence. And where the hell were Irvine and Zell, for that matter?

"This diamonds? Where did you find?" the duke asked curiously.

"On some property I own," Squall answered vaguely. No way was he going to tell anyone exactly where. Even with the very aggressive grendels in the immediate area to discourage casual traffic, he didn't want to have to deal with the type of insane greed that a diamond mine would incite. Eden Island was intended to be his _home_ , not a fucking war zone.

Of course, given his history, he wondered sometimes if that was even possible.

"Ah?" the duke asked, studying Squall closely, pale grey eyes far too keen for the man's supposed inebriation. He waited a beat, then smiled at Squall's continued silence.

"You will not say? I understand." the duke's smile broadened. "I have always thought you far too intelligent for a mere mercenary. Come and find me when you locate your lady so that I can introduce her to my wife. Good evening, Mr. Leonhart." The duke took his leave with a polite inclination of his head, which Squall returned in kind.

"Good evening, Your Grace."

He did another circuit of the ballroom, becoming both more concerned and more irritated at Rinoa's continued absence. _Where in the hell was she?_

To say that when he finally _did_ find her, he wasn't in the best of moods, would have been putting it mildly.

He'd already enlisted the aid of both Irvine and Zell, who were suitably abashed at having let her slip away. Squall had to exert a considerable amount of self-control to not give into the urge to throttle them both.

All kinds of scenarios ran through his mind, some of them involving secluded alcoves and overly amorous dance partners, which did nothing whatsoever to help his current mental state. The truth was, he wouldn't have put it past Caraway to throw one of Rinoa's erstwhile admirers at her, in the hopes of ...whatever. It was obvious the man was less than happy with her turning up with a former mercenary as her date.

He did derive some comfort in knowing that he'd instructed her how to deal with unwanted advances, and was reasonably certain that she _would_ in fact, find them unwanted, rather than the opposite. As far as the necklace went, if someone was after it, he'd already told Rinoa to give it to them. A piece of jewelry, no matter how valuable, was not worth her life.

* * *

Rinoa fled the conference room and looked around for Squall, trying to ignore a thrill of unease at not seeing him in the milling crowd. She had no idea how long she and her father had been dancing, and then there was the "interview" afterward- really just a lecture, as far as she was concerned- in the conference room.

She knew what he was, what he'd been. She also knew he was working at moving past all of that. Caraway however, was not easily convinced. He never was. He always believed the worst of people, and sadly, more often than not he was right. The nature of his military career had reinforced that point of view.

Rinoa also knew there were details about his past actions that Squall could not reveal to her, and for the same reasons that her father couldn't provide any details. Even acknowledging that he'd had to resort to hiring SeeD at one point or another could be seen as a breach.

She _did_ wish however, that she knew what had caused his nightmares...but only from a desire to help him. Fortunately, it wasn't often that they plagued him. Not as often, by his own admission, as when he'd first arrived in Esthar. Obviously, the spa had provided more than simple employment to the ex-SeeD. He'd told her as much.

Still, it was a little unsettling to sometimes wake to him moaning and covered in sweat. She quickly figured out that simply cuddling close to him and whispering, "I'm here", was enough to calm him. Usually.

Sometimes he was already awake and gone. Those occasions were rare however, and he always returned, tired and sweaty, obviously back from an early run.

Rinoa wandered aimlessly through milling crowds, wondering if Squall had decided to go out to the courtyard without her. He'd been increasingly tense, and concierge training notwithstanding, it had become apparent that he needed a break. She did too, and some uninterrupted alone time with him in the garden sounded wonderful.

Besides, she had some questions to ask him.

"Ah, there you are," came a voice she instantly recognized as Zell's. Of Squall's two friends, she liked him the best. Given his oftentimes grim line of work, his ebullient personality was a welcome surprise. "We were looking all over for you."

"Squall wasn't terribly pleased you'd slipped our guard." Irvine said with an apologetic half-smile as he joined them.

"Where is he?" She wondered.

She remembered Senator Saranoff standing next to Squall as she'd whirled away in her father's arms, and examined the memory critically. The woman obviously wanted Squall. _Squall_ on the other hand, had been very obviously cool in his response to her. A blind person could see that he was _not interested_. She decided she was worrying needlessly on _that_ account.

"Well, last I saw of him, he was looking for you." Irvine answered her.

"Yeah, he sent us to see if we could find you." Zell said.

"Well, here I am." she said, spreading her hands out.

"Let's go find him," Zell said with a shrug.

"Fair warning, he's...in a mood." Irvine said with a grimace.

"I'm not surprised, I could see where things were going. Hopefully we can get out of here soon." Rinoa replied with a sigh. "I was headed out to the courtyard. He'd suggested we go out for some air before my father claimed his dance with me. Maybe we could meet him there?"

"Seems as good a place as any," Zell said with a shrug, then looked over at Irvine, "I'll walk with her over there. Why don't you tell Squall where we are?"

"All right. Will do." Irvine nodded and walked off.

Zell glanced over at her and tilted his head toward the open doors leading to the courtyard gardens.

"The necklace is beautiful. Squall told me you designed it?" Rinoa said as they walked.

"Yeah, jewelry making is a hobby of mine." Zell replied, adding with a lopsided smile, "I guess I never outgrew my fascination for pretty rocks. I was always picking them up, polishing them...Even started carving them when I got older and could afford the tools."

"Well, these are lovely." She said, placing her hands upon the cool gems. "Squall also mentioned that you and Irvine picked a few of the stones up yourselves."

"Yeah. We've already had them cut and polished, just figuring out, like Squall, what to do with them. Some I want to keep to make jewelry out of. There's different grades and colors.. some are black, chocolate brown, blue..." Zell began, then stopped with a snort. "This _has_ to be boring you."

"No, not at all!" Rinoa said. "I didn't know diamonds came in different colors."

"Yeah well, its the colorless, pure white ones that are considered most valuable, but between you and me, I think the colored ones are just as beautiful. Certainly more interesting to look at." he replied with a shrug.

Rinoa looked over at him with a smile, appreciating the hidden facets of himself that he'd shared with her. Another man, like Squall, that could not be taken at face value.

"Are you going to go into jewelry making if you decide to leave SeeD?" She asked him curiously.

He shrugged, "Maybe. I've thought about it. Especially lately."

"Well, I've only seen this necklace, but I think you'd do well with it." Rinoa said.

They walked out into the garden and the perfume of flowers added to the freshness of the cool night. Zell kept her company until she reached a lovely display of roses near a small wood and wrought iron bench. There, she paused, sighing and breathing in the scent of the flowers.

"I'll just be over here." Zell smiled at her, then politely withdrew to become part of the scenery. Or at least it seemed so to her. One minute he was smiling and talking with her, the next he was a remote, expressionless sentry, barely visible in the shadows he'd withdrawn into. She wondered if it was a SeeD thing; maybe Squall could do the same thing, if he felt the need for it.

She reflected that Zell and Irvine were both right; their presence as bodyguards was an unfortunate requirement, but at least they were friends. She rather thought that Squall was far luckier in that regard than he realized.

The sound of voices drew her attention and she turned to see Squall and Irvine coming toward them. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but the low, growling tone of Squall's voice gave away the fact that he was indeed "in a mood", and _not_ a happy one at that.

* * *

He ran into General Caraway again, while looking for Rinoa. As if things couldn't get worse, he had to deal with _him_ again. Already in a less than amenable mood, Caraway's judgmental, contemptuous attitude didn't help matters. At all.

"So, you've lost track of my daughter." Caraway stated.

"So have you, apparently. She was with you last, wasn't she?" Squall asked pointedly, well beyond done with being polite to the man. "I figured she was safe with her _father_. Was I mistaken?"

"She left after we spoke. Presumably to find you." the general answered.

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, there are a _lot_ of people here." Squall replied.

"Indeed there are. I'm sure you know a good many of them, though I don't recall you being quite so willing to socialize." Caraway commented.

"I don't know as many as you think. And things change." Squall said flatly, gazing around the ballroom, looking for Rinoa. He caught sight of Irvine's tall form, moving through the crowd, presumably looking for her as well.

"So I hear." the general replied, then added in a harsh voice, "And I don't believe it. Now, I don't know what your angle is or who hired you, but I'm telling you right now that involving my daughter is a fatal mistake."

Squall stared at him in disbelief, asking slowly, "you think I was _hired_? For what?"

"I'm still figuring that out. Its the necklace that puzzles me. I can't see what angle you're working with that." Caraway answered.

Squall took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself before he punched the man. "I am here at Rinoa's request. As her _date_." He said evenly. "The only angle, if that's what you want to call it, that I'm working is showing off that necklace so that it'll sell for a good price."

"Typical mercenary. Always comes down to the bottom line. Gil. That's what it's all about for you, isn't it? And Rinoa's just, what? A way to look respectable? Not on my watch!" the general declared.

Squall stepped closer to the general, a dangerous glint in his eye, and asked him, voice softly menacing, "What do you call a mercenary who's rich enough to retire? Who only needs to follow his own orders? Who doesn't have anybody holding his _leash_? _What do you call him?"_

General Caraway narrowed his eyes, doing his best to ignore the sudden chill that chased down his spine at the look in the young man's eyes. It wasn't a look he'd ever seen before, and he doubted there were few alive who had, but he recognized it for what it was: it was the light of battle, of challenge. Of determination.

Finally he answered, "Dangerous."

"No." Squall shook his head. " _Free_."

Free. No one to issue orders. No contract to adhere to, no one to answer to. Unfettered and uncontrolled, and able to follow his own conscience, live the way he pleased. But...SeeDs did not _have_ any conscience. They couldn't afford to. And no amount of money existed that could _buy_ one.

The stab of fear that hit Caraway's heart was as sudden as it was unexpected, and it centered entirely upon Rinoa.

"Stay away from my daughter."

"Too late. She's made her choice."

Caraway clenched his teeth and swallowed, then repeated in a low voice, "Stay away from her."

"No." Squall said flatly.

"I will kill you. If anything happens to her. If she even so much as gets a _nail_ broken. I will kill you." Caraway said calmly.

Squall raised an eyebrow sardonically and replied, "You will _try_."

The tension between the two men was palpable, radiating from them like heat . It was also beginning to attract attention. Fortunately, intervention came in the person of Irvine, who had finally located Squall to tell him that Rinoa was waiting for him outside. It came not a moment too soon.

Irvine had seen a dogfight once. An unaltered and un-socialized male dog, had unfortunately met up with a similarly intact dog, and both had stood growling at each other, hackles raised, for what had seemed like forever. He'd almost gotten bored with watching the spectacle, thinking that both dogs were simply posturing to see who'd back down first. It had been a horrific shock when, in the blink of an eye, one of the dogs had gone for the other's throat. It had very nearly ended tragically, but their owners had managed to separate them before permanent damage had been done. Interestingly, dousing them with cold water hadn't helped. Their owners had had to forcibly pull them apart, at great risk to themselves, as the animals were in such a state that they were snapping at everything.

Squall wasn't a dog. Nor even a wolf. If anything, he was more feline than canine, with regards to his attitude and fluidity of movement. Even so, cat, dog or human, his hackles were definitely raised. And he was every bit as deadly as the lion on his pendant.

Well, damned if Irvine was going to let him go for General Caraway's throat.

"Squall. C'mon, man. Rinoa's waiting for you out in the courtyard." Squall glanced at him sharply, then nodded and turned to leave.

"Watch your back, Leonhart." Came the General's parting shot.

Both Irvine and Squall turned to face him, and Caraway was once again reminded of how loyal SeeDs were to each other. Former commander or not, it was obvious that SeeD had his back. At least _one_ of them did, at any rate.

"Duly noted." Squall replied, then left.

* * *

Squall fumed the entire, torturous trip through the ballroom to the courtyard doors, following Irvine through the crowd. Formerly logical and unemotional to the point of being nearly robotic, now he was the complete opposite. Try as he might, he simply couldn't think his way out of the roiling mass of emotions that raged through his mind and heart. Logic had gone by the wayside a long time ago. Like from the moment he first saw Rinoa staring at him from his doorway all those months ago.

The entire night had been a complete and utter disaster, and this was simply the capper. What he really wanted to do was simply leave, drop Rinoa home, go back to his boat and drink himself insensible. Either that or sail out to his island and find something to kill as messily as possible. He wasn't fit company for _anyone_ right at the moment.

Finally, they were outside and the cool night air enveloped them both. Irvine had slowed to a stroll, with Squall padding silently alongside. Rather like a lion on the hunt, Irvine thought. If he'd had a tail, it would be lashing right now.

"She's right down there," Irvine said, gesturing toward where Rinoa waited for him, seated on a bench in a rose garden. "I'll be back here with Zell. Don't worry. We've got your back."

Squall glanced over at him and nodded. "Thanks." He _did_ appreciate that, though he rather doubted Rinoa's father would send anyone after him just yet. Not while she was close enough to get caught in the crossfire, at any rate. The man wasn't stupid.

She stood as he approached, and his irritation began to fade as he was struck anew at how beautiful she looked, standing there in the garden. A slight breeze riffled the silk that draped her, and starlight painted its wan light over cheek and forehead, shimmered on the flowing blue silk of her dress and brought answering sparks from the diamonds around her neck.

Suddenly, he wanted very badly to go home. With her. Forever.

"So, obviously Irvine located you." She said.

Squall's lips twitched in an almost smile and he replied, "And Zell, you."

She nodded, and smiled as he approached, but the smile faded as he stopped just out of reach. He looked...grim. She sighed quietly to herself. This hadn't been the best of nights, what with the paparazzi getting up in their faces, among other things; something she didn't expect and knew for fact that Squall wasn't used to or comfortable with. Add to that a disquieting encounter with Senator Saranoff, and it was no wonder he wasn't in the best of moods.

"So..." she began awkwardly. "Rough night?"

"You could say that." He answered, looking away for a moment.

He wasn't giving much away, and Rinoa wondered if they should just call it a night and head home. Still, she had questions to ask, and mood notwithstanding, the evening's events had brought some of them to the forefront. She just couldn't seem to figure out how to ask them.

"Is...everything...okay?" she asked hesitantly.

Squall frowned at her slightly, then opened his mouth to answer...shutting it again when he was left undecided on _how_ , exactly. He shifted restlessly and shook his head, his disquiet spurring him into movement, and started to pace.

"I spoke with your father, while I was looking for you." he finally answered. "And before, while you were dancing with that friend of yours."

"Well, you're still in one piece, so I guess that's a good sign." Rinoa said with a snort.

Squall's response was a quiet grunt.

Seeing the ironic twist to his lips, Rinoa sighed, "That bad, huh?"

"He remembered me from before," he finally said with a shrug. "I was...different then."

"So I've heard. _How_ different?" Rinoa asked curiously.

"Very." he answered shortly, pacing a few steps away. Turning to face her, he folded his arms and added, "enough for him to warn me away from you."

Rinoa tilted her head and studied him closely, before finally asking, "Did it work?"

"I said 'no'." Squall answered, shaking his head. Rinoa took a deep, steadying breath at this, surprised at how knotted up her stomach had gotten while waiting for Squall's response. She hadn't doubted him, not at all but...his firm response _did_ reassure her.

"What did he do?" Rinoa asked.

"Threatened to kill me." Squall answered with a shrug. Rinoa stared. Her father had been notorious for intimidating and occasionally chasing off her boyfriends, but she'd never heard of him actually threatening to _kill_ one. General Caraway wasn't given to issuing idle threats. That meant he was _serious_. What amazed her was that Squall was so nonchalant about it.

"Why? _Why_ would he do that? He's never done that before!" Rinoa shook her head in disbelief. "That arrogant, controlling...Ugh! If he thinks.." She began, then words failed her. she turned to head back into the ballroom, ready to give her father a piece of her mind, then noticed Squall simply watching her with interest but without much in the way of concern over her father's statement.

She stopped, frowning. "You know, most people, if my father had threatened to kill them, would be running. He doesn't issue idle threats."

Squall shrugged, "I know. It's not the first time my life's been threatened."

" I know you _were_ a SeeD, and I know that means that you were involved in a lot of dangerous things..but you're _not_ a SeeD now! Can't he _see_ that?" Rinoa demanded in exasperation.

"Maybe you should ask _him_ that."

"Yeah, maybe." Rinoa said, then tilted her head to one side and asked, "So, what was the deal with that Senator lady? She looked like she wanted to eat you for breakfast."

Squall grimaced and answered, "That's pretty much _exactly_ what she wanted."

Frowning fiercely, Rinoa growled, "You're here with a _date_ and she hits on you? Classy broad."

Squall shrugged. "Some people are like that."

"She kind of acted like she knew you. If she didn't, she was being awfully familiar." Rinoa grumbled.

Squall raked his hand through his hair in irritation, pulling some strands loose to fall into his eyes. He studied her with narrowed eyes and compressed lips, finally responding, "She was a former client. One of my first. She wanted to renew our ...acquaintance."

"I'm assuming you didn't?" Rinoa asked. She didn't think so but there was a moment ... a brief one, where she'd had...doubts.

"No!" he burst out, annoyed. "You know, I came here with you because you asked and because ...well I wanted spend a night out with you. And _this_ shit..." he broke off and shook his head, stalking away. "Just because I had to be polite and nice and social as part of my job, doesn't mean I particularly like it! You know, I was actually kind of relieved when your father said he'd kill me. _That_ , I can handle!"

She watched him in fascination. She'd never seen him this upset before. He wasn't given to bursts of temper; she'd seen him tense, frustrated and irritated on occasion, usually due to something relating to his island project. This was different. Energy fairly crackled from him as he paced like a caged torama, blue eyes flashing. His accent had shifted too, falling back into childhood patterns and thickening as his emotions held sway. It was impressive..and just a little bit scary.. to watch.

"Bloody two-faced fucking judgmental...why are you looking at me like that?" He growled, swinging around to glare at her.

She couldn't help it, she smiled sweetly at him and answered, "You know, you're beautiful when you're angry."

He blinked, taken off guard. "What?" Then he frowned at her, folding his arms firmly across his chest again, saying gruffly, "That's supposed to be _my_ line. Why do you keep doing that?"

"Because it's true." she said, approaching him. It was interesting to her how, as he worked through his anger, he kept his distance. She already knew she had nothing to worry about however, and deliberately invaded his personal space, gazing up at him.

"Why did you come to Galbadia?" She asked him pointedly.

Squall swallowed and licked his lips, then answered, "Because I wanted to."

"Why?"

"What?"

"You heard me. Why?" She pressed, gaze intent upon him.

Squall gave her a confused look and retreated back a step. What was she getting at? "Because it was time."

"And?" She prompted, taking another step forward.

"I already told you why!" Squall protested, taking another step back. Rinoa hid a smile at his retreat.

"Tell me again. And this time, tell me everything ." she pressed.

"I _have_ told you everything! I told you about buying the island, and you were with me when I bought the boat. Hell, you even helped me pick it out! I told you all about my plans, my hopes and dreams... " His voice trailed off, then he swallowed and added, "What more do you want from me?"

"I want you to tell me the truth." Rinoa said firmly. She was pushing him. She knew she was. She also knew that he needed to be pushed. She only hoped that she didn't push him _too far_.

"I _have_ told you the truth!" he cried, flinging his arms out before letting them drop to his side.

"No. Not all of it. My father seemed to think you had some kind of agenda in coming here. Do you?" Rinoa asked, stalking him. He backed up again and fetched up against the stone wall that deliniated the border of the property. They were at the very edge of the garden and completely out of casual view. That should have frightened her, and if it had been anyone but Squall, it might have.

"Now," Rinoa went on relentlessly. "Tell me the real reason why you quit your job, left your sister behind and shipped everything you own into a storage unit, just to come here to Galbadia. No more evasions. No more hiding. Tell me. Why. Are. You. Here?"

"Because I had to come." He answered simply. He was literally backed into a corner, with nowhere to go, and he had no idea what she wanted from him or why she kept after him like that. It was not a comfortable feeling.

"Why?'

"I needed to." he licked his lips, heart pounding.

"Why? Why did you need to? Why did you want to come here? I need to hear it from your lips Squall. Tell me!" She urged him.

"Because I love you!" He burst out in frustration. Then he froze, face white, and continued in a soft, shaking voice, "I love you. Only, I didn't want to...tell you... Like that..."

Rinoa's heart leaped for joy, and she wanted to fling herself into his arms. But she waited, sensing that there was more.

"How did you want to tell me?" she finally asked him softly.

Squall gazed at her for a long moment, and the lost look in his eyes made Rinoa's heart ache for him.

Swallowing, he looked away and stuck his hand into his hip pocket, bringing out a small, velvet-covered box. A ring box. Rinoa's heart nearly stopped.

"Like this," he answered, his voice barely audible. "I had it made.. from the shards of my diamond. I didn't want it to be too big..I...I sorta figured you weren't into huge rocks but.. I wanted..." he took a shaking breath. "I wanted... you. Forever." Taking her hand, he gently placed the box into the palm and closed her fingers over it. Then he crossed his arms tightly over his chest in an effort to contain the ache that threatened to eat a hole right through him. What if she didn't want him after all? Part of his mind told him he was being silly but...the other part was terrified.

"Its yours. Do with it what you want..." His voice trailed off.

Stepping forward again brought her closer to his body, well inside of his comfort zone. Reaching out to him, she took both of his hands and gently uncrossed his tightly crossed arms. His lack of resistance was telling; he was more than strong enough to thwart her if he really wanted to.

"I love you." She said softly. " More every day it seems. I know you're not perfect and you have a...shall we say, spotty past...it doesn't matter to me and never did. I won't promise to never be jealous of any former clients but...I'll try to understand." Releasing his right hand, she raised her left and caressed his cheek, feeling the slight prickle of stubble over his smooth skin.

Squall leaned into her caress, closing his eyes on a nearly overwhelming flood of relief and hard upon its heels, joy. He pressed her hand against his face briefly, then pulled it away just enough to place a kiss in its palm. Then, still holding her hand, he brought it down and then let it go, turning his attention to her other hand, the one that held the as yet unopened ring box.

He brought their joined hands up, the box still resting between them and said, "I'm...sorry I was such an asshat.."

"To be fair, it's been rather a stressful night for the both of us." Rinoa replied. "Not too surprising you'd get pissed. You were wound pretty tight from the start. Worried about that senator woman?"

"Yeah. I shouldn't have been but..." Squall shrugged eloquently. Dropping his gaze to the box still resting in her palm, he caressed it with his index finger, adding, "there's still a question that needs an answer."

"I don't recall you asking me anything. I know you said this ring was mine but you weren't terribly specific about it..." Rinoa said lightly, smiling up at him.

Squall snorted at this, acknowledging the omission. "hadn't you better look at it first? You might not want it after all."

"I will love it. Period. But okay, go ahead and open the box. Then ask your question." Rinoa smiled at him. "Or maybe ask first, then open it. Whichever works for you."

Squall gave her an exasperated look, then murmured, "This is _so_ not how I wanted to do this..." as he opened the ring box.

Rinoa had to consciously remember to breathe, and only just managed to gasp out, "how did you want to do this?"

Squall sighed, "Well, I had something ridiculously romantic in mind with lots of flowers or something but...I've never done this before...then everything sort of went to hell and..."

"yes. Oh, Gods, Yes!" she said breathlessly, tears starting to flood her eyes. It blurred out the vision that sat in the little ring box, nestled in black velvet. A single heart-shaped diamond...not so large that it was ostentatious, nor so small as to seem miserly, sparkled brilliantly in an elegantly simple setting of white gold.

Squall smiled, "I haven't asked yet."

"I don't care. The answer's yes!"

Squall's smile broadened as he took the ring out and slid it onto her finger, saying, "Well, just so it's official... Will you marry me, Rinoa? I mean, assuming you want to do that whole marriage thing.."

"Shut up and kiss me."

Squall obliged her willingly, pulling her close and kissing her so thoroughly they were both lightheaded when they finally came up for air, resting their foreheads against each other and smiling into each other's eyes.

"I love you." he whispered softly.

"I love you too." Rinoa replied, adding, "Let's go home."


	26. Chapter 26

Rinoa was relaxing on the couch with her favorite TV show and a glass of wine, waiting for Squall, when a knock sounded at her door. Frowning at the time, six o'clock, she got up to answer the door, wondering who it was. Squall wouldn't have knocked, he had a key, and was pretty comfortable with coming and going without asking permission. _Now_ , at least.

So, after calming Angelo's barks, she opened the door to see a petite brunette woman with a sweet, heart-shaped face and soft brown eyes.

"Are you Rinoa?" she asked.

"Yes," Rinoa answered. "What can I do for you?"

The woman held out her hand with a smile and said, "Hi! I'm Ellone Loire, Squall's sister. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine." Rinoa said, taken by surprise. Squall hadn't even hinted that his sister would be visiting soon. Which meant that this was a surprise visit. Opening the door wider, she said, "Please come in. I take it this is meant to be a surprise? Squall would have mentioned it to me if he'd known you were coming." Belatedly, she noticed Ellone's outstretched hand and shook it, giving it a firm squeeze before letting go.

Ellone laughed quietly, ducking her head as she crossed the threshold, "Yes, it is. I hope you don't mind. I wanted to meet you and well, the opportunity presented itself, so I took it."

"No, not at all. In fact, I was interested in meeting you as well." Rinoa smiled, liking the young woman's air of quiet serenity.

Rinoa already knew that Ellone was twenty-nine, though she didn't look it. Her hair was almost boyishly short, shorter even than Squall's was at the moment, and a rich shade of golden brown. She wore delicate gold stud earrings and a thin gold chain around her graceful neck, a sleevless silk top in a lovely turquoise, paired with a white linen skirt. A light, lace-knit sweater in white completed the impression of fresh, uncomplicated sweetness.

"Squall's told me so much about you..." They both said in unison, and laughed.

"Would you like something to drink?" Rinoa asked when their mirth had subsided.

"Yes, I would. It was a long flight." Ellone said, eyes sparkling.

"I'm sure it was. Wine then? Or something else? I've got tea or coffee as well, if you'd rather have that," Rinoa said.

"Wine sounds wonderful, thank you." Ellone answered her.

"Well then, make yourself comfortable while I get you a glass." Rinoa said, gesturing toward the living room as she headed into the kitchen.

While she poured the wine, Rinoa wondered what Squall had told his sister about her, mainly from curiosity, as he was typically reticent with regard to his personal life. Of course, this was his _sister_ , so a certain level of intimacy had to be expected. Obviously, whatever he'd said had been positive, as Ellone thus far had been warm and friendly.

Rinoa returned to the living room to see Ellone seated on the couch making friends with Angelo, holding her hand out to allow the dog thoroughly sniff her.

Ellone ventured to pet Angelo's head, asking "Such a nice doggie. What's his name?"

"Her." Rinoa corrected.

"Her, my mistake." Ellone acknowledged with a nod.

Handing her a filled glass of wine, Rinoa sat down next to her and took a sip from her own glass. Ellone took a drink as well, and they smiled at each other in acknowledgement of that small bit of awkwardness.

Answering Ellone's question, Rinoa said, "Her name's Angelo." Upon hearing her name, Angelo pricked her ears and came over to Rinoa, gazing expectantly at her with a tongue-lolling canine grin. Rinoa reached out to scratch behind her ears and the dog slitted her eyes in ecstasy.

"She's lovely. What breed is she?"

"Galbadian shepherd." Rinoa replied.

Ellone smiled wistfully as she reached out to pet Angelo again, saying, "I love dogs. We could never have a pet, at the orphanage. Then, later...Squall was in Garden and they don't allow pets there either. Does he...?"

Rinoa smiled, "He loves her. And she loves him too."

Then Ellone's smile grew wider, "I have to say, I'm really happy to finally meet you...and I'm so glad that Squall has you in his life." biting her lip then, she asked almost shyly, "may I see it?"

"See?" Rinoa frowned, wondering what she was referring to."See what?"

"The ring he gave you, of course!" Ellone clarified.

Rinoa ducked her head, embarrassed. Of _course_ Squall would have told his sister of their engagement. She was his only family. Smiling back, she extended her left hand toward Ellone. The still new weight of it, and the brilliance of the stone, still made Rinoa feel warm and giddy by turns. Not so much because of the size of the stone but the reality of its existence on her finger and what it meant. Slowly, Ellone took Rinoa's hand in both of hers and bent to study the ring on her finger intently. She touched it lightly with her thumb, moving it enough to catch the light, reflecting it in a tiny starburst of fire.

"So beautiful," Ellone whispered.

She was quiet for several moments, long enough that Rinoa became concerned. Then she looked up, meeting Rinoa's gaze with eyes that glittered wetly.

"You have no idea how happy this makes me," Ellone said, swiping away the moisture beneath her eyes. "He's been alone for _so_ _long_...and as much as I love him, I can't be everything he needs. I'm so happy you found each other."

Rinoa's heart flipped over painfully, and she set her wine down and impulisvely reached out to hug Ellone tightly, whispering, "I've always wanted a sister..."

Ellone squeezed back, "Me too..."

* * *

The sun blazed down upon the group of men who were gathered at the top of the mountain that dominated Eden Island. Several structures of various heights, poles, mostly, were scattered about the summit, all of them designated to gather and feed data to the devices made to recieve, compile, extrapolate and report on said data. The largest of those structures, rising at an impressive height, was a radio tower. Solar cells were incorporated in the structures to power them, and more were coming.

Squall stood apart from the group, watching the scene and scanning the mountaintop, though the barren height didn't appear to offer much in the way of threat. Judging by the glances the techs kept giving him, _he_ was more than likely the scariest thing in the immediate vicinity. Probably because he'd taken his shirt off in response to the heat. He prowled the area while the techs worked; lean, scarred, sun-browned and decidedly shaggy-maned, resembling nothing so much as a lion both in his appearance and in his air of leashed ferocity.

If some of the female technicians' glances lingered overlong on the shift and flex of his well-defined muscles, he was entirely unaware of it.

He was too busy plotting out where he'd install the remaining solar collectors, and wind-turbines, fretting over the necessary violation of the pristine mountaintop and anxious to wrap things up by that evening so that he could sail home to Rinoa.

"Mr. Leonhart?" one of the techs called to him.

"Yes, Dr. Nickolai?" Squall asked when he'd reached the man who'd called him over.

"Just wanted to show you this readout here." Dr. Nickolai said, indicating the device he held in his hand. "The seismometers are online now. The high-efficiency photovoltaic cells that each are equipped with should supply them with enough energy to transmit their data to the monintoring station, when it's built, and the tower there should have enough range to send it to us."

Squall studied the device with interest, noting the changes that the readout underwent with each movement that they made.

"They're very sensitive, aren't they?" he asked.

"They are. They can detect a mouse's footsteps. If this volcano even _thinks_ of waking up, we'll know about it." Dr. Nickolai answered.

"So," Squall frowned, looking around at the summit that they stood upon. "Can you tell when this volcano erupted last? How dormant _is_ it, exactly?"

The man pursed his lips, then said, "follow me." and walked toward the largest concentration of seismometers.

Indicating the grouping, he said, "This is most likely where the vent was the last time this volcano erupted. As you can see, it's very broken up here, like something's exploded from this side of the mountain. Now, if you follow along that ridge, you can actually see the pyroclastic flow as it came down from this vent and poured down this side of the volcano."

Squall _did_ see, and was amazed that he'd missed it. Once it had been pointed out to him, he could clearly see the broken, blackened, jumbled volcanic rock that resulted from the lava flow. The mountainside was still mostly barren too, with only a few struggling wildflowers thrusting their way sunwards from the rust-colored, gravelly ground. The broken, jumbled river of rock continued down to the sea, terminating in a shelf that formed one of the encircling arms of Squall's home cove. On the other side of the mountain was a beach of gritty, powdery black sand, a legacy of the ash fall that had preceded the eruption.

"It takes a very long time for the environment to recover from a volcanic event like this. Depending upon how catastrophic the eruption was, the marks left behind on the landscape can be very evident for hundreds, even thousands of years." Dr. Nickolai returned his attention to Squall, saying, "So, to answer your question, this was a relatively recent event."

That sent a chill down Squall's spine, and he asked warily, " _How_ recent?" How likely was it that the volcano right smack in the middle of his island would suddenly erupt?

"Less than a thousand years. Without carbon dating the lava rock, I'd only be guessing it at around nine hundred years." the doctor answered, then added, "I'm a geologist, not a vulcanologist. Doctor Wellam could tell you more about this mountain than I could."

Doctor Wellam was occupied taking samples of the rock and soil around the vent and down the side of the mountain, for the purposes of dating the erupion. Squall thought it best to leave him be at the moment; he'd get a full report once the man had a chance to analyse the data he'd collected.

Thanking the man, Squall returned to where more people were working on the radio tower, running cables to a temporary backup power station. The rechargable batteries were located there until a more permanent facility at the foot of the mountain could be built. That project was already underway, and they'd just started laying the underground coduits to run the cables through to reach it. The seismic monitoring station would be adjacent to it.

Elsewhere, Zell and Irvine, along with some bored SeeDs with time off and a taste for adventure, were happily harrassing the resident population of grendels to keep them occupied while equipment, materials, and personnel came and went from the impromptu helipad in the central plains. Once the necessary equipment had been offloaded, an _actual_ helipad would be built.

The further he got into the project, the more time, gil, and work it seemed to take. But the sight of all the industry, and the fact that visible progress was now being made, actually excited him.

It was the most amazing, infuriating, and ultimately rewarding challenge he'd ever set for himself...and to deny the fact that he was actually _enjoying_ the sweat, the heat, and the constant threat of attack from random monsters, would be denying his essential nature. Squall thrived on challenge, and the fact that at the end of this project he'd finally have a home and Gods willing, eventually even a family, something that deep down, he'd craved his entire life, made it all worthwhile.

* * *

Evening was painting the sky in gold and vermillion when Squall pulled into port and drifted gently toward his home slip. Irvine and Zell, by now old hands at shipboard protocols, immediately took charge of the lines and tied the Wing Heart, making her fast to the dock.

Then they started gathering up their gear, preparing to disembark.

"You going over to Rinoa's tonight?" Irvine asked as he shouldered the carrying case for his guns.

"Yeah." Squall answered, prowling the deck and making sure everything was stowed and more or less shipshape. He'd come back in the morning after Rinoa went to work and take care of anything that needed attention then.

Frowning down at his gunblade case, Squall picked it up and stowed it in the cabin, locking the door behind him.

"You're not bringing it?" Zell asked, curiously. He stood next to Irvine, exchanging a glance with him before returning his attention to Squall.

"No. I don't need it." Squall answered. "I'm going to my fiancee's, not into battle."

"Yeah, but..." Zell began, then susided when Irvine hit his shoulder and gave him a quelling look.

"Guys, I'm not a SeeD anymore, remember?" Squall reminded them.

"No, you're not." Irvine replied mildly, adding, "What you _are_ is a multimillionaire."

"Yeah, well right now I haven't got more than twenty gil in cash on me, and the only reason I don't look like a penniless bum is because I showered before we headed back. Anyone who tries to rob me will be sorely disappointed. Not to mention most likely dead." Squall responded, pulling his pants leg up just enough to reveal the ankle holster he was wearing. "I'm not unarmed. I'm just not bringing Lion Heart because it's a little unwieldy."

"And really obvious." Zell snorted.

"Yeah, there is that too." Squall shrugged, scanning to boat again to see if there was anything else that he needed to bring with him.

Shrugging, he made his way toward the ladder and climbed down, waiting as Irvine and Zell did the same.

"I can't believe how much headway we've made in the last couple of months." Zell commented as they walked up the wharf toward the parking lot. The sunset was fading, the light dimming toward evening. The street lamps hadn't come on yet, so everything was muted and indistinct.

"Yeah, looks like we'll have it all done in time for your wedding, man," Irvine said.

"Well, we've certainly worked hard enough for it. We damn well _better_ see some progress," Squall grunted.

"I'm glad you hired some extra guys for site security. That helps a lot." Zell said.

"I couldn't get a construction crew out there until I did." Squall answered.

"Well, they're throwing that house up in a hurry. I swear it only took them like what, two days to frame it? Fucking amazing." Irvine said, shaking his head. "Boy, when you set your mind to it, you can really get shit done."

"Well, money helps. You pay people enough, they'll pretty much do anything you want." Squall said.

"You ain't paying _us_ ," Irvine said.

"That's because you're partners. You've got an equal stake in this. That's different." Squall said.

"It's not just that man," Zell chimed in. "I mean, yeah, we're getting benefits from it too, but even if those benefits weren't there we'd help you out. We're brothers. It's what we do."

Squall studied them both, then quirked a half smile at that, saying, "Yeah, we are."

Irvine snorted, "took you long enough to realize that."

Their unhurried progress had finally led them to the parking lot and an older but well maintained pickup truck. Its rugged, utilitarian look enhanced by its flat black paintjob.

Studying it, Irvine commented, "you know, you're worth what, eighty million gil now, right?"

"Something like that," Squall shrugged. The necklace had been auctioned off successfully months earlier for a truly astounding sum. Careful investment and shrewd management had thus far managed to keep things more or less even on the balance sheet. His necessary expenditures on construction, security and so forth were being offset with income from his investments, savings, sale of the rare materials and trophies taken, and the guided hunts that they'd occasionally lead on the island.

"And yet, you still have _this_ old thing. You _can_ afford a brand new one, you know." Irvine said, shaking his head.

"I know. I like this truck. It's paid for, and tough. Besides, its not _old_ , it's a _classic_." Squall patted the hood affectionatey. "Thanks for bringing her down for me, by the way. I was kind of worried that she'd just rust away up there in Balamb."

"Nah, the paintjob held up pretty well, despite sitting in storage for three years." Irvine said.

Turning toward the driver's side door to his truck, Squall put the key in to unlock it, asking, "You guys want me to drop you anywhere?"

Irvine and Zell exchanged a glance and Zell answered, "Yeah, sure." Irvine nodded agreement and they both tossed their gear into the back of the truck.

"Mr. Leonhart? I'd like to speak with you for a moment." said a vaguely familiar voice, stopping Squall from opening the door.

He turned around warily, confirming as he did his suspicions about the identity of the person who'd addressed him.

"General Caraway." He said in a flat voice. "What can I do for you?"

Irvine and Zell both turned around at hearing the general address Squall, and immediately took notice of the two bodyguards...or _thugs_...the man had with him. Without even discussing it, they took up flanking positions on each side of Squall to back him up. Whatever Caraway's intentions were, the two large men with him indicated that at the very least, he expected trouble. He also, apparently, had expected Squall to be _alone_. It made Irvine wonder about Caraway's source of information and Squall's rather disurbing lack of caution in that regard.

Irvine decided that there needed to be a discussion about that. One that was long overdue.

Approaching Squall, General Caraway said, "I need to speak with you privately."

"If you wanted to speak with me privately general, you should have left your bodyguards back at the car." Squall said coolly.

General Caraway paused, then nodded slightly in acknowledgment, "I should have known it wouldn't be that easy to catch you unaware, though my sources had told me your habits were fairly...predictable. At least lately."

"You've had me watched." Squall stated. The particular flat, toneless quality to his voice, coupled with the ice in his gaze, had Zell and Irvine exchanging apprehensive looks.

_That_ particular tone, or lack thereof, typically meant trouble. It was perhaps lucky that his gunblade had been locked away on the boat.

"Yes." Caraway answered calmly.

Squall flicked a glance to the bodyguards, and asked, "And these guys?"

"To keep things civil."

Squall's response was a derisive snort. _Right_.

Folding his arms, he loosened his stance, balancing his weight evenly on both feet, saying,"So talk then. This is as private as it gets."

Caraway studied the two SeeDs that stood with Squall, wondering if it was loyalty or simple self-interest that kept them there. If they'd been just run-of-the-mill mercenaries, perhaps it might have been a simple equation to figure: Squall had money and they were simply sharing in his fortunes. Perhaps, but SeeDs appeared to be different. He tried but could not recall a single case where two SeeDs had been set against each other by opposing clients. Indeed, it was rare to find SeeDs on opposite sides in a conflict. He wondered about that. Allegiance to a comrade in arms was not normally found among mercenaries; typically they were loyal to whomever paid them the most, and only for the duration of their employment contract.

"What is it you want, Mr. Leonhart?" Caraway asked, studying the former SeeD as he drew closer to him.

Squall didn't answer, instead watching Caraway's approach expressionlessly.

His preternatural stillness put the general uncomfortably in mind of a large preadator, waiting for the right moment to attack. That gave him a chill; he couldn't get a read on the guy. He'd met people like that during the course of his career, and had personally seen what _this_ man was capable of. He was damned if he was going to allow his daughter to marry a cold-blooded killer.

"What will it take for me to convince you to walk away? Name it."

A brief flicker of angry contempt flashed across Squall's features before he resumed his expressionless mask, asking "Are you trying to buy me off?"

"Everyone has a price. I'm simply trying to determine yours." Caraway said evenly.

Squall stared at General Caraway as he processed his statement. He remained outwardly impassive, but a warm rush of rage threatened his control. His hands involuntarily tightened into fists.

"Why?" Squall asked.

Caraway paced a few steps away, hands clasped behind his back, saying, "I'm not foolish enough to think it's just gil you're after. The entirety of my family fortune couldn't even come close to what you sold that diamond for. But I find your motives extremely suspect, and I will not have my daughter involved in whatever it is you're doing." Turning back around, he paced back until he faced Squall again. "To put it quite simply Leonhart, I don't trust you any more than I'd trust a starved dog in a butcher shop. Rinoa is my daughter, and I will _not_ see her marrying an animal like you. I don't know what you hope to gain in marrying her or why, but I will give you anything you want, if its within my power, if you simply walk away. Name your price. I only ask that you walk away and disappear forever."

It took every ounce of restraint that Squall had not to smash the general's face in. He'd expected the man to have little or no respect for him as a person; after all he was merely a former mercenary. To some, that was a step _below_ a bargain-basement streetwalker. The fact that he had been a high-ranked SeeD and therefore one of the best out of that organization, made little difference to that perception.

No, what angered Squall the most was the man's cavalier disregard for his daughter's wishes. Rinoa had _chosen_ to associate with him; had _chosen_ , when he'd asked, to marry him. If, at any point, she had made her wishes known to the contrary, he would have left. It would have ripped his heart and soul to shreds, but he would have left. All she'd have had to do was to tell him she didn't want him.

Caraway was acting like his daughter was too stupid to realize what she'd gotten herself into and was trying to save her from herself. His attitude was arrogant, high-handed, and completely dismissive of Rinoa's intelligence and maturity. She was _not_ a silly, naïve girl, and she was _not_ stupid. But apparently, her _father_ thought she was.

The entire idea infuriated him so much that for a moment, he was unable to speak.

Finally he fixed General Caraway with a flat, cold stare, not bothering now with masking how he felt. He was tempted to turn the full force of his fury onto Caraway. Instead, he kept it leashed for the moment... but only just. He dropped his hands to his sides, both tightly fisted, and stalked forward.

"No." Squall growled while advancing. "There _is_ no price. There is absolutely _nothing_ that you have or can possibly give me, that would induce me to leave her. _Nothing_. Do you hear? I don't _need_ your approval or your _permission_ to marry Rinoa, nor does she need it to marry me. She's an intelligent, sensible adult able to make her own decisions. She _knows_ what I am...what I _was_. I _told_ her. And yet, in just a month, we'll be getting married. You don't have to like it. But you _will_ have to deal with it." He ended up standing nearly nose to nose with Caraway, close enough to leave the man very disconcerted with his proximity.

Caraway stared at him, unable to look away from Squall's glittering, flinty glare. Angry. The SeeD was _angry_.

In any of his past interactions with the former SeeD commander, General Caraway could not recall him revealing _any_ emotion whatsoever. None. He had been dead-eyed and blank faced, and virtually impossible to get a read from because of that. It was one of the things that had made negotiating a contract with him so difficult.

But _this_... was the first human emotion that he'd ever seen the young man display. And it was a surprising response, one that hinted at very, _very_ well hidden depths. Still waters indeed...

Caraway considered that, and made a decision.

"Dinner. At my home. Six o'clock, tomorrow night. You and Rinoa. Do not be late." Caraway ordered tersely. He nearly laughed at the mixture of surprise and confusion that appeared briefly in Squall's face before it was replaced by his usual mask of blank wariness. Then he turned on his heel and marched away with a distinct sense of satisfaction.

It wasn't every day a man managed to catch a SeeD, former or not, off guard.

* * *

"Dude. What the hell?" Zell asked, staring after the general.

"Did he just invite you to _dinner_?" Irvine asked incredulously.

"Yeah, it sounds like it." Squall answered, likewise staring after Caraway, trying to figure out why, _exactly_ , he'd done that. Their currently adversarial relationship, if one could even call it that, certainly did _not_ lend itself to congenial conversation over canapes.

"Why?" Zell asked in confusion.

"Beats the hell out of me," Squall answered.

"Maybe he wants to poison you." Irvine commented, tongue firmly in cheek.

Squall shook his head, "Not his style. And he wouldn't do anything that would endanger his daughter. No, if he wanted to get rid of me, he'd hire someone like you, Irvine."

"I wouldn't take the hire." Irvine said firmly. "And neither would any other SeeD."

Squall turned to study Irvine, asking, "Really? I wasn't aware I was held in such high esteem. My tenure as commander was so short, I'm surprised anyone even remembers me."

"Well, they do. And even if we all hated you, we still wouldn't take the hire. You were our commander, and a fellow SeeD. Active or not, you're still one of us. You don't turn against your brother, especially not for gil. At the end of the day, all we really have is each other." Irvine replied.

"SeeDs are mercenaries. Mercenaries are loyal to gil, not to each other..." Squall began, to be cut off by Irvine.

"Well then you ain' t been payin' attention. We saw you, all of us, stickin' your neck out there for us and getting us some really good contracts. Even though you hated doing it, and we _all_ could see that. And before, puttin' your ass on the line for everyone you worked with. No. You don't believe that bullshit about mercenaries any more than I do. SeeDs are _different_. And you _know_ it!"

Zell nodded agreement, adding, "I know you left, and I know why.. _now_. Fact is, you're one of the few who's managed it. And there's alot of us that want to know it can work, and you can have a...well a _normal_ life. As normal as possible, anyway. So, more of us are invested than you think."

Squall frowned, "I had no idea. I was trying to..get out of SeeD...completely. The _mindset_ , I mean. The only way I could ...deprogram myself, I guess...was to completely cut off all contact with it and with everyone there. That's why I left like that. Why you guys never heard from me."

Irvine and Zell exchanged a glance, and Irvine said slowly, "I understand...now. And you're right Squall, it _does_ take some time to do that...to reprogram your mind like that."

"Yeah, well..." Squall began gruffly, opening the door to his truck. "Let's get going. Where do you want me to drop you?"

"Selphie's," Irvine said, rounding the front of the truck and opening the passenger side door when Squall unlocked it.

When he and Zell both got in, Squall glanced over at them and asked, "What about you Zell?"

"The train station. I need to head back to Balamb tonight." Zell answered.

"All right," Squall said, starting the engine.

* * *

After dropping Zell and Irvine at their respective destinations, Squall finally stood on Rinoa's doorstep, tired and bemused. Fitting the key into the lock, he was startled to find it open, and turned the doorknob with a frown and stepped into the apartment. Angelo was there to greet him first, and he knelt down to rub her ears.

"Hey girl," he greeted her. "You being good? Where's Rinoa?"

"Over here Squall. We have company." Rinoa said from the couch.

He glanced up and froze as two pairs of brown eyes; of deep chocolate and warm caramel, both familiar, gazed back at him. Then a slow smile spread across his face as he stood.

"Elle? What..?"

"I wanted to meet Rinoa first. I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was coming.." She said apologetically, getting up from the couch and approaching him.

"That's...okay. I'm okay with it, Elle. Really." then his smile broadened into a grin as he added, "After all, I did leave an open invitation for you to come any time. I believe I even left a voucher with your name on it that you could use whenever you wanted to."

"That you did," Ellone said. "And now I'm here."

She spread her arms slightly with a smile, and Squall immediately stepped in and swept his arms around her, lifting her off her feet in a tight hug. They held each other for a long moment, then Ellone pulled back slightly, gazing up at him with a gentle smile.

"You need a haircut. You're starting to look like a lion with that mane," she said, reaching up to brush a lock away from his face. He grinned down at her.

"It's good to see you, Sis. I'm glad you're here." Squall said simply, joy sparkling in his aquamarine eyes.

"I'm glad to be here, and happy to have met Rinoa." Ellone said, then leaned close and whispered in his ear, "she's wonderful. I can see why you love her."

"I do. Speaking of..." Squall said, giving Ellone a brief kiss on the cheek. Then he released her and approached Rinoa, who walked into his embrace. "How was your day?" He asked her after a lingering kiss.

"Fine. I finally got to meet your sister, and I love her." she smiled up at him, but something in his eyes made her pause, then ask quietly, "How about yours?"

Squall's smile faded and he stepped away, turning toward the refrigerator and taking out a beer.

Ellone and Rinoa both exchanged a frowning glance as he popped the top and took a drink.

Finally, he leaned against the counter and sighed, "Well, we got a lot of work done. Radio tower's up, seismometers placed...tons of stuff and people, coming and going. Only had to kill a couple of geezards and an anacondaur. Zell and Irvine were out with a team hunting grendels. Progress is being made though."

Rinoa raised an eyebrow.

"And...?" she prompted. The sudden shadow in his eyes and the faint line between his eyebrows gave away the fact that _something_ was bothering him.

Squall quirked his lips slightly. "Caught that, did you? I spoke with your father. He approached us as Irvine, Zell and I were leaving the port."

Rinoa drew in a breath at this, and folded her arms tightly over her chest, asking him, "What did you talk about?" Knowing her father, she could guess.

"About what you'd expect. Walk away and he'd give me whatever I wanted." Squall answered, taking another sip of his beer.

"I see. Obviously, that didn't work." Rinoa said, tone mildly questioning. Ellone frowned slightly at him but remained silent.

Squall snorted, "No. I told him so. Not only 'no' but HELL no." then he gave Rinoa a level look and added softly, "There's nothing that he could give me that I don't already have."

Rinoa felt a sudden sting of tears at his quiet statement and the intensity of feeling behind it.

"What did he say to that then?" Ellone asked.

Squall flicked her a glance and shrugged, "He invited us, that is, Rinoa and I, to dinner. Six sharp, tomorrow night."

Ellone raised her eyebrows at this, "Are you going to go?"

"I would advise that we do." Rinoa said, then added with a half-smile, "If nothing else, it'll be your introduction to Awkward Family Dinners 101. Pretty sure that wasn't a subject covered in Balamb Garden."

Squall snorted at that, "You'd be surprised, but as it happens, there is no such class."

"Well then, I guess we'd better go. For educational purposes." Rinoa shrugged, approaching Squall and leaning against him. He put his arm around her waist and kissed her forehead gently.

Glancing over at Ellone, he said, "You're coming too."

"What? But the invite was issued to you two...he doesn't even know I'm here or who I am... Wouldn't it be rude to...?" she protested.

Squall shrugged, "Not any more rude than the way he asked me. Besides, you're family. You're invited."

"But..."

"Hey, if nothing else, it'll be educational, right?" Squall said, then added wryly, "wouldn't hurt to have an impartial witness around either."

"Squall!" Rinoa gasped. "My father would _never_...!"

"You sure about that?" he eyed her narrowly.

Rinoa opened her mouth, the shut it, belatedly recalling a certain threat issued not too long ago.

Finally she sighed, "Okay. But no weapons. And try not to kill him, okay? He _is_ my father."

"I'll do my best," Squall said gravely.

"You two are serious." Ellone said, glancing from one to the other. "What kind of man _is_ your father, Rinoa?"

"You'll find out tomorrow night." Squall told her.

"I can't wait," Ellone replied sarcastically.

Rinoa sighed and shook her head as though trying to throw off the mood, then said brightly, "How about we all go out for dinner?"

"Great idea!" Squall said in relief. "Ellone? What would you like? Seafood or steak?"

"Steak." She answered immediately.

"Good choice. Manny's it is then. Best steak in Deling City, I promise you." Squall replied.

Rinoa agreed, "Give us just a minute Squall and we'll get going." He pointedly looked at his watch and Rinoa slapped him lightly on the shoulder, prompting a soft laugh from him. Then she stepped away and grabbed purse, coat and keys. "Leave your stuff here Ellone. We'll figure out sleeping arrangements when we get back."

"I have a hotel room..." Ellone protested.

"We'll talk about that later," Squall said firmly as he ushered them both toward the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right then, another chapter. Believe it or not, it IS wrapping up. I considered ending it on the last chapter, certainly it was a good enough spot to but...the Muse argued stringently against it. So much so that she wouldn't do ANYTHING else unless I let her figure out the ending and tie up some loose ends. Plus, we haven't had NEARLY enough Ellone in this story and she was overdue for a visit. So, next chapter? We shall see. Awkward family dinners? More progress on The Island project, perhaps a wedding? Only the muse knows for sure. I'm done trying to second guess her!


	27. Chapter 27

Awkward Family Dinners 101. The mere concept inspired dread.

Squall glanced over at Rinoa, then at Ellone. Ellone appeared calm, but the line between her eyebrows gave away her concern. Rinoa looked both tense and resigned; unlike both he and Ellone, she was no stranger to this. Squall honestly had no idea what to expect, and that alone had him on edge.

At least Rinoa had clued him in on what to wear; apparently, the general preferred to dress for dinner, so his usual jeans and tee-shirt attire was forgone in favor of his best grey suit and white shirt. Rinoa had on the dress she'd worn in Esthar, and seeing her in it again made him ache to grab her, take her home and spend the rest of the night making love with her.

"Should we knock? Ring the doorbell?" he asked Rinoa as they reached the ornate front door. Rinoa simply smiled reassuringly at him and pushed the doorbell.

"Didn't you grow up here?" Ellone asked, curious at why Rinoa would ring the doorbell to her family home instead of simply walking in.

"Not really. I spent the bulk of my childhood in boarding schools after my mother died. This is my father's home, not mine." Rinoa answered with a shrug. Ellone frowned.

The door was opened by a neatly attired, elderly man, who greeted her formally, "Good evening, Miss Rinoa. Please, come in. I'll inform the General that his guests have arrived, though he was expecting only two."

"I hope that's no trouble." Rinoa said.

"No miss. I'll have another place set and inform the cook." he replied.

"Thank you Sidney."

"Ellen will show you to the dining room." the man said, inclining his head in acknowledgement of Rinoa's he left, he added, "It's good to see you again, my dear."

A woman of middle years, also neatly dressed in what appeared to be a uniform, appeared.

"Follow me please." She said, leading them through an elegantly baroque entrance hall with gleaming hardwood floors, past a soaring grand staircase and into a formal dining room. More richly polished dark wood on the walls and in the furnishings, luxurious carpeting on the floor and shining silver tableware and candlesticks to go along with the fine porcelain dishes, completed the display of formal opulence.

Squall hated it. It was dark. It was stifling, There were no windows anywhere to let in light and air, and he felt trapped. The room was huge, but it didn't feel that way to him.

"Squall?" Rinoa asked, wondering at his guarded expression and intense scrutiny of the room. He wasn't giving much away but she'd learned to read him well enough to know that he was _not_ comfortable with his surroundings. She wondered why.

On the other side of him, Ellone took his hand and squeezed it gently, whispering, "Squall relax. It's okay."

He glanced down at her and shook his head slightly. No, it wasn't. He'd never liked places like this. Too many unpleasant memories were attached to them. Associations from a former life that had left their echoes in his psyche. Ellone of course, wouldn't know about them. _No one_ would.

At length, General Caraway himself arrived to greet them, saying, "Thank you for coming, Rinoa. Mr. Leonhart." Squall nodded in acknowledgement, but they did not shake hands.

A pointed glance at Ellone had Squall saying simply, "My sister, Ellone Loire."

Ellone reached her hand out to Caraway and said politely, "Pleased to meet you, general."

General Caraway took her hand and squeezed it gently, "Likewise." Gesturing toward the dining room table and the places laid, he said, "Please. Would you like anything to drink?"

Squall shook his head slightly in refusal and silently made his way toward a seat. The last thing he needed was his mind muddled by alcohol. Rinoa rather pointedly made the choice to seat herself between Squall and her father, who sat at the end of the table. Ellone took the seat opposite Squall and Rinoa.

"Wine would be nice," Rinoa said in answer to her father's question.

"Wine for me as well." Ellone echoed.

Sidney reappeared at the general's elbow and was dispatched to bring the wine.

"Thank you for coming," Caraway said politely as he finally sat down. "I trust you've already located the exits, Mr. Leonhart. Are you armed?"

"Should I be?" Squall asked.

So far, this was starting off exactly like any other meeting he'd had with the general in the past. Of course, _those_ meetings were professional in nature, so those two questions were simply part of the protocol. What Caraway was trying to do by bringing that context into _this_ gathering, Squall had no idea.

"I'm not." Caraway replied with a shrug. "Although, armed or not, I already know you're not weaponless."

"I'm sorry," Ellone broke in apologetically. "But I thought this was a social gathering. It sounds more like you're trying to negotiate a contract with my brother."

"Of course not," Caraway said dismissively. "He doesn't do that anymore, do you?" He directed this to Squall, who shook his head.

The reappearance of Sidney, who was apparently the family butler, provided a welcome change of direction as he poured wine for Rinoa, Ellone and Caraway, and topped off Squall's glass of ice water.

"Dinner will be served shortly, beginning with the salad course." he informed them before leaving the room again.

"Pity you declined the wine," Caraway said, taking a sip. "It's a good vintage."

"I'm sure it is." Squall replied evenly.

"Any particular reason why?"

"I'm driving."

"I see."

Being the good student that he was, Squall knew that keen observation was the key to learning anything worthwhile. With that thought in mind, he decided to study events as they unfolded as objectively as possible to get a sense of the larger pattern. There always was one. There was always _some_ underlying dynamic taking place.

Squall's ability to discern what that was had saved his life more than once.

Thus far, General Caraway had been coolly polite to all of them, including Rinoa. She'd mentioned that their relationship wasn't close, but he'd thought that at very least, the man would have greeted his daughter first. Particularly as concerned about her association with him as he appeared to be.

Squall thought, rather cynically, that Caraway's issues were less about Rinoa and more about how he'd be percieved by having a former mercenary/whore in the family. Though he was reasonably certain that Caraway was unaware of the "whore" part of that equation. He also thought that the "former" part of both of those occupations would very likely be overlooked, should Caraway be made aware of it. Old money was always about appearances, and he doubted that Caraway was an exception.

Conversation was sporadic as dinner progressed from the salad course, to the soup, the main course and finally dessert. Ellone did her best to engage with Caraway with variable success; it was her way. She always was better at connecting with people than Squall. Conversation between Rinoa and her father, by contrast, was stiff and stilted. As for Squall, he only spoke to Caraway when directly addressed, and what little they said to each other was guarded, and laced with hidden barbs.

By the end of the dessert course, Squall was beyond tired of it all and more than ready to go home. But then, the girls had to go use the lavatory, leaving Squall alone with Caraway.

The domestic staff began discreetly clearing away the leavings of their meal, and Caraway pushed away from the table, inviting, "Join me in the study while we wait for the girls?"

* * *

The study was actually a smallish library. More closed in space, paneled in dark wood and lined with books; it had comfortable, overstuffed chairs and a loveseat, upholstered in deep green damask, and a large cherrywood executive desk at one end, nearest what appeared to be a small bar. Various drinkables, all decanted into cut crystal bottles, were lined up and glittering, while the requisite glassware, also of cut crystal, sparkled on a shelf above.

It also had no windows, and only one exit.

Caraway made his way to the bar and took down a glass, adding ice from a silver bucket and pouring amber liquid from one of the bottles. Squall could smell the liquor from where he stood. Brandy. An expensive vintage, too.

Taking a sip, Caraway said, "Join me?"

Squall again shook his head. He still couldn't figure out what game Caraway was playing but he was just about done with it.

Caraway snorted, "Never were very sociable, were you? That hasn't changed much. You've simply learned to hide it better."

Squall shrugged.

"Oh, I understand why," Caraway continued. "it makes sense, really. Only a fool muddles his wits with alcohol when in a hostile situation."

" _Am_ I in a hostile situation?" Squall asked, watching the general closely.

"You could be." Caraway said evenly, seating himself in one of the upholstered chairs and carefully setting his glass down on a coaster to protect the polished furniture. Not a speck of dust anywhere, despite the musty air of disuse; Caraway's domestics were dedicated, regardless of how much use the room got.

"I've noticed a marked dislike of closed in spaces with you. Particularly after that last job you did for me in Dollet." Caraway commented. "Is that why you left SeeD? Couldn't handle it anymore? As I recall, it took a little longer than usual for you to achieve your objective and you were quite... _damaged_...when you returned."

"I already told you why I left." Squall said flatly.

"That's not the whole story though," Caraway said confidently.

Squall twitched his shoulder in a shrug. Caraway had already debriefed him after the job, and hadn't seen fit to comment on or question his physical condition then. As far as _he_ was concerned, it was irrelevant. He got the job done. That an unfortunate turn of luck had resulted in his capture, imprisonment and torture before he'd finally managed to escape and kill his target, was of no concern to his erstwhile employer.

"Do you play chess, Mr. Leonhart?" Caraway asked.

"Yes."

"Join me in a game?" Caraway invited, indicating the elegantly carved set that rested on a small table behind the loveseat. "The girls will be occupied for awhile yet. I've never understood why they all flock to the lavatories en masse like that. One of life's mysteries, I suppose."

Squall didn't comment, though he was privately hoping that Rinoa and Ellone would reappear soon so they could get _out_ of there.

"Good way to learn strategy and critical thinking, chess. I'm not surprised you were taught it." Caraway commented as he set up the game and sat down.

Squall took the seat opposite and studied the board. The general had chosen white, leaving Squall with black. Caraway had conceded the first move to Squall, as he had issued the challenge.

Squall considered his first move carefully before advancing his pawn.

Caraway countered, saying, "It's all about seeing patterns, manipulating the pieces to serve whatever gambit you're trying to play. If you can anticipate your opponnent's moves, you can counter them before they're made."

Squall answered Caraway's move without comment. He was aware of all that, and what it had taught him of his tendencies as a strategist.

"If you take a larger view of things, you begin to see patterns in everything. A nudge to this piece here, capturing that piece there," Caraway went on, capturing Squall's pawn. "Will eventually create the opportunities that you're looking for. It only requires patience."

Squall studied the pieces on the board, seeing the beginnings of a well-known gambit, and frowned. It was an elementary, almost a beginner move. He frowned, wondering why Caraway had used it. It left the man open to a checkmate in less than two moves, should Squall decide to sieze the opportunity. He considered it, and played it out mentally, anticipating Caraway's counter, should he make the attempt. Selecting a piece, he made his move.

Caraway grunted quietly, then said, "Bold action is the realm of the young. Brute strength can only take you so far." He captured the piece Squall had just moved.

Squall made another move immediately, expecting that.

"It takes time and fortitude for a man to wait for the right opportunity. Sometimes pieces can be manipulated to create that opportunity. Sometimes they can't. Patience and cunning can be learned over time...as can the ability to discern when bold action is called for." Caraway said, quickly moving a piece.

"check." he said in satisfaction.

Squall blinked. He'd completely missed that gambit. He captured the piece, removing his king from check, knowing as he did that his position had been weakened by that necessary move.

"Just when you think you've gotten into a strong position, that nothing can touch you, someone comes along to prove you wrong." Caraway said.

Something in the man's tone brought Squall's attention from the chessboard to his face. And from there to the gun aimed at his chest.

"I thought you said you weren't armed."

"I lied."

* * *

Squall sat back in the chair slowly, staring at the general and wondering what the man was thinking. If he wanted Squall's attention, he certainly had it. If Caraway in fact _did_ plan to kill him, well... The man was powerful enough and had enough money to construct a story that would be believable.

In short, if General Fury Caraway wanted to get away with murder, he certainly could.

"Do you intend to kill me? Or do you have something else in mind?" Squall asked him calmly, while analyzing the situation. Where the hell was Rinoa? He wondered. She should have been back with Ellone by now.

Carway's finger was on the trigger, and pressing on it. Any move in his direction would be fatal. No one could dodge a bullet fired at close range.

"I could," Caraway said. "But not here. And not now."

"Good to know." Squall said. "It would be a shame to ruin your carpet."

Caraway nodded, "I like that carpet. I bought it for my wife on her birthday. She loved it. It really ties the room together."

"What about Ellone, and Rinoa?" Squall asked. "I'm sure they'll be back soon. Do you really want your daughter to see you holding a gun on me?"

"They're being...delayed. I'll make sure they both get home safely." Caraway said.

Apparently, Caraway was smart enough not to natter on about all the horrible things that he intended to do to Squall, further expounding upon the reasons behind it and concluding with a psychological analysis of his motivation. Having been in a similar situation before, Squall could appreciate the general's reticence.

Unfortunately, that left him very little time to figure out what to do.

"Get up. Slowly. Take your cell phone out of your pocket and lay it on the table. And keep your hands where I can see them." Caraway directed.

Squall did as directed, saying, "You know, if you're just trying to scare me..."

"I'm not." Caraway said flatly.

"What _are_ you doing then?" Squall asked him. "I'm high profile enough now that my disappearance will be noticed. My sister and your daughter will both testify that they last saw me here. And _here_ is where the investigation will start. And it's very difficult to kill someone without leaving _some_ kind of evidence behind."

"You managed it." Caraway said.

"I'm...I _was_ a professional." Squall said. "I had time to plan. And I'm sure, careful as I was, _some_ evidence existed. Hair, fiber, DNA...no one is completely infallible. Its just that nobody cared to look hard enough or in the right places for it. Ellone though, and Rinoa, _they'll_ care."

"I'll handle Rinoa. And your sister." Caraway said. "Now, walk that way please." He indicated the far end of the room with his head, keeping the gun aimed at him.

Squall frowned as he did so, seeing nothing in that end of the room but bookshelves and a couple of alcoves that held marble sculptures. Then he remembered the age of the mansion and visions of secret passageways, hidden rooms and the like, came to mind. He shuddered involuntarily.

"I'll tell them you recieved an emergency call from your work crew on the island and had to go take care of it." Caraway said.

"And no one will cry 'foul play' when they find my body there." Squall stated.

"Something like that." Caraway replied.

Squall continued walking forward, slowly, discovering as he did that the far wall was an optical illusion. The two flanking bookcases had a space between that looked like the rest of the room; same wallpaper and quality of light, with a painting hung in the center of it. From the far end of the room, it looked like the bookcases were flush against it. In fact, they were not.

As Squall advanced, the wall appeared to recede, until he realized that it was actually a small alcove, wallpapered and lighted in such a way as to be virtually invisible until one was nearly on top of it. It was, in essence, a small room. Squall stopped dead, just short of stepping into it.

"Go on," the general urged him.

"I'd rather you just shoot me." Squall said through tight lips.

He wasn't shaking, nor sweating. He really wasn't showing any outward sign of his discomfort aside from the fact that he simply could not force himself to step into that room.

It hadn't been _nearly_ long enough for him to ever feel comfortable with stepping into a small, windowless room in an old mansion. It didn't matter that there was light. It mattered that it was small, isolated, and airless. He shook his head violently, trying to shake off the chill of memories.

"I heard rumors about the Earl of Sternhall. What he did to his enemies. It was one of the reasons he was targeted. His close association with the Duke was making him a liability. You did us both a service, taking him out." Caraway said. Then he asked, "Were they true, those rumors? Is that why you won't go into that room? Does it remind you of the Earl's torture chamber?"

"I'm not surprised you have a similar room. Must be soundproofed. Can't think of any other way that Rinoa never knew of it." Squall said.

He needed to get out of there. He was still in control, but only just. He could feel the beginnings of panic start to eat away at him. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to maintain calm and will his thudding heart to slow.

He hadn't had a episode since his third month at the spa. Eventually he'd learned what his triggers were and how to avoid them. _Most_ of the time.

Caraway didn't comment. Instead, he shoved, _hard_ , sending Squall stumbling into the alcove.

Squall immediately whirled, and Caraway got a glimpse of his eyes, wide and haunted, before he slapped the hidden catch on the bookcase, and a panel identical to the one behind it quickly slid into place. Just in time; a resounding boom sounded from the opposite side, and Caraway studied the panel warily, suddenly unsure of its sturdiness.

Another _thud_ actually vibrated the panel, and Caraway shook his head. He had to hurry up with the rest of his plans; he'd underestimated the ex-SeeD's strength. If he kept up his assault, it was entirely possible that he would eventually batter his way free. Contrary to what the young man might think, the alcove wasn't built to withstand such sustained abuse.

Caraway found it interesting, and really, typical, that Squall didn't yell, shout or otherwise try to communicate with him. Obviously, the former SeeD was saving his breath for other things.

Like trying to tear down the wall with his bare hands.

Suddenly, the shuddering blows against the panel ceased. Caraway gave it an uneasy look, unnerved at the silence. Unreasoning, uncontrolled rage or panic was one thing; the flurry of blows immediately following his closing the panel told him that Squall had been in the grip of at least _one_ of those two emotions. Perhaps both, judging by the look in his eyes as the panel had shut him in. The sudden silence however, told him something else.

It told him that the former SeeD had regained control of himself and was _thinking_. Planning.

The general hurried from the room. As he did another blow slammed against the panel. It was measured, precise and focused. Another one followed. And another... And Caraway heard the sound of wood cracking.

He was running out of time.

* * *

"Ugh! This old house! I swear my father took better care of it than _this_!" Rinoa groused, rattling the knob to her bedroom door.

It had an en suite bathroom, which Rinoa had thought to use and show Ellone her childhood room at the same time. Ellone then needed the bathroom too, and they got a bit... Distracted, looking over some of Rinoa's things that she'd left behind. There wasn't alot, as she hadn't stayed there often, but there was enough.

They'd giggled over her high school prom photos, and pictures of Rinoa engaged in various activites while in school. A photo of Rinoa's mother resulted in the sad revelation that Squall didin't even _have_ a photo of _his_ mother. It had been lost, when he and Ellone had been sent to the orphanage. Rinoa's heart broke anew for him.

Conscious suddenly of how much time they'd spent up there, Rinoa thought they'd better return to Squall, who no doubt by this point would be more than eager to leave. She hadn't missed the undercurrents between her father and her fiancee, and had no idea how to diffuse the situation other than getting _out_ of it.

Unfortunately, the door to her bedroom had somehow gotten stuck.

"Think maybe a maid or something is up here that'll hear us?" Ellone asked.

"I doubt it. There's only two, and they'd both be downstairs helping Sidney." Rinoa sighed, twisting the knob and tugging at the door again.

"Well, then call Squall and let him know we're stuck. Maybe he can help." Ellone suggested.

"If nothing else, he can kick the door in. Serve my father right for not taking better care of the place. I mean, how hard is it to just _oil_ the damn doorknobs once in a while?" Rinoa said, pulling out her cellphone.

"I don't know. There's alot of doors here." Ellone said with a shrug. "Maybe they just never got around to this one."

Rinoa snorted, "Yeah, maybe." Then she frowned, "Squall's not picking up. Weird. I know he had his phone with him..."

"He's not answering?" Ellone asked, frowning.

"No." Rinoa answered, staring down at her phone.

"That's...strange." Ellone said.

"Yeah, it is. Unless something's gone wrong with Squall's phone or he turned it off," Rinoa said.

"How likely is it that its phone problems?" Ellone asked.

"No telling. I mean, the phone looked like it was working normally earlier but anything could have happened. I can't tell you how many of my cellphones got dropped down the toilet or had drinks spilled on them. I've dropped and broken even more. I'm pretty tough on my devices." Rinoa said ruefully.

"Oh. Well, I guess just bang on the door and make a fuss until someone hears us? Someone has to come along eventually, right? And your father knows where your bedroom is, doesn't he?" Ellone asked.

"Yeah." Rinoa said. "All right, then let's do this!"

They both went up to the door and started yelling and banging on it, hoping it would get someone's attention. Eventually it did, though they cooled their heels for far longer than they'd thought they would. By the time the maid heard them and they got the door open, Rinoa was sure that Squall would have been right there waiting, worried and annoyed. It was a shock to see her father, Sidney and the maid, Ellen, all gathered outside her bedroom door...but no Squall.

"Where's Squall?" Rinoa asked her father.

"He was called away. Some sort of emergency on his island. He requested that I see you both safely home." Caraway answered. "I'll have Julian drive you."

Ellone exchanged a frowning glance with Rinoa, but remained silent.

They followed Sidney down to the foyer, where Ellen returned their purses. Rinoa cast a frowning glance at the door of her father's study, which was firmly shut. Then she and Ellone followed Sidney out to the car that was waiting with her father's driver.

As they pulled away from the house, Ellone said softly, "This doesn't feel right."

Rinoa studied her for a moment, then nodded.

"You're right, it doesn't. Squall would have called, or texted, or _something_. He would have been outside my bedroom door, waiting for us. He would _not_ have sent my father to tell us he was leaving, in fact, he barely said more than a few words directly to my father all night."

Ellone nodded, "Squall's like that. He can be polite if he's in a social situation where he _has_ to...but if he doesn't like you, you'll know it. He can't hide that, not if you know him well enough. And, forgive me, but it was pretty obvious that he and your father both dislike each other. It doesn't make sense that he'd send you a message via your father."

"No, it doesn't." Rinoa said. Directing her attention to the driver, Rinoa ordered, "Julian! Take us back to the house!"

"But, Miss Rinoa..."

"Julian, please. I need to speak with my father."

The driver hesitated, then said, "very well Miss Rinoa."

The car slowed, and then turned around to head back to the mansion.

"You don't think your father... _did_ anything to Squall, do you?" Ellone asked, her concern for her brother deepening. Squall had survived any number of dangerous situations before, but he'd been prepared for them. Forewarned and armed.

Not this time. He had not been armed, had not thought that he'd need to be. Not for a dinner with his prospective father-in-law. Which of course would present the perfect opportunity for someone who wanted to... Ellone couldn't finish the thought. She couldn't comprehend that Rinoa's _father_ would possibly want to rid himself of his daughter's fiancee so badly that he'd consider doing...whatever he'd done.

Because it was obvious that General Caraway had done _something_. They just had to figure out what it was...and if Squall was okay.

"I don't know, Ellone." Rinoa said softly.

Suddenly, alot of things in Rinoa's past were clarified. Why she'd bring a boy home to meet her father and never see or hear from him again after that. Sometimes they'd simply avoid her, sometimes they were just...gone. Moved away, transferred to different schools...something. They weren't _dead_ ; she'd see or hear of them from time to time but..they would never speak to her, and they would never tell her _why_.

Her father had intimidation refined to an art. A young high school or college boy was no match for him.

But Squall wasn't a high school or college boy. He was a former SeeD, who didn't scare easily. Rinoa worried that, having had his bluff called, her father might have resorted to...other methods... To get rid of an unwanted suitor.

Rinoa spent the entire ride back to her father's mansion teetering between anger and fear, squeezing Ellone's hand tightly.

* * *

Squall paced the confines of the tiny room, heart pounding and adrenaline flooding his bloodstream. At least it wasn't dark. The light had stayed on, which helped him to focus on the here and now. What had happened before was still very much with him, but so far he'd managed not to fall into that nightmare loop. He was still in control.

For the moment, anyway.

He stopped his pacing and leaned against the wall, trying to think his way through the breath-stealing panic that he was doing his best not to give in to.

He'd already studied the confines of the alcove minutely, looking for anything that might hint at a secret passageway. A way out. So far, he'd found nothing.

He could continue kicking the panel that had shut him in; it wasn't as solid as he'd originally thought, and a few precisely focused kicks did appear to be showing some effect. The last time he'd kicked it, he'd heard a distinct crack. A few more kicks maybe and...

But he was tiring. So, he needed to take a breather. Just for a few minutes. Then it was back to his assault upon the wooden panel. He _would_ get out. He would find Caraway.

And he would get some answers from the man before he strangled him.

Rage bubbled in the back of his mind right along with the fear. Both added power to the back heel-kick he slammed at the panel. It was the most powerful kick he had; it engaged all of the strongest muscles in his body, all focused upon a single point. He'd broken boards with it. Hell, he'd broken _bones_ with it.

The wood was solid, but he was determined.

He took a deep breath and focused on his form and technique, visualizing his foot punching _through_ the panel. Then he gathered his strength and threw everything he had into the kick, powering it into his target. The resulting boom, followed by a crack, was nearly deafening in the confined space, and the shock of the blow traveled up Squall's leg. Had his form not been spot on, he might have been injured.

But he'd heard the wood crack. Squall marked the spot, and aimed his next kick at it. The _crack_ that sounded when he hit the panel was louder, and the split more visible. Squall continued his assault, precisely, relentlessly attacking the split, widening it gradually.

Either he'd give out, or the panel would. For the moment anyway, he appeared to be winning.

* * *

"Is the helicopter ready?" Caraway spoke into his phone. He nodded unconsciously at the response and replied, "Good. Stand by then."

Turning his attention to the brawny young man in front of him, he said, "they're ready. We need to move quickly, because it sounds like that boy's tearing the walls down in my study. Here," he handed the bodyguard a Taser. "You'll need this. Trust me, he's _not_ going to be at all reasonable, or tractable. Don't even give him a chance to attack. He _will_ kill you."

"Yes sir." the man said.

"Follow me," Caraway said, leading the bodyguard from his bedroom suite and down the main staircase to the study.

He'd locked the room securely behind him and had gone upstairs to get things prepared in the privacy of his room. No servants around to overhear him calling for his bodyguards and sending one of them to prepare a helicopter.

The coordinates to Squall's island weren't difficult to obtain; it was well-charted, after all, and a matter of public record because of its recent sale.

Once he'd been disabled by the Taser, it would be easy to bundle the ex-SeeD off to his island where he would either live -or not- at fate's whim. It was always possible that Squall would survive; he had work crews coming in daily. But, weaponless, and dropped off at the most remote part of it, the farthest from where all the work was being done? The boy had his work cut out for him. If nothing else, it provided an object lesson to the young man that Fury Caraway was _not_ a man to be defied. _If_ he survived.

As they approached the door to the study, Caraway frowned. The door was solid, and the room lined with books, enough to absorb most sound. Even so, the noise that Squall had been making could still be heard as a muffled thumping. It was one of the reasons that he'd had Rinoa and the young lady, Ellone, escorted out the back, _away_ from the study.

_Now_ however, it was quiet. Perhaps Squall had gotten tired and given up. The thought brought faint disappointment with it; he'd thought the former mercenary to be far more tenacious than _that_.

He unlocked the door and opened it for the bodyguard, following him into the room...in the next instant, he was sent sprawling as the door slammed into him. He lay stunned, ears ringing, trying to gather his wits while the sounds of a battle royale raged throughout the study.

Shaking his head to clear it, he climbed to his feet, noticing in passing that things had quieted down, and his bodyguard lay still on the floor amid scattered chess pieces and splintered furniture. He wondered if Squall had killed him.

Before he could move, even though his brain had screamed at him to get the hell out, he was seized by the throat and slammed against the wall. Holding him pinned was a sweaty, disheveled, and _very_ pissed off Squall, whose eyes blazed in murderous fury.

"I don't think we've finished our _discussion_ yet, general." he snarled.

* * *

Rinoa and Ellone walked into the mansion the way they'd left; from the rear, as Julian planned to return her father's car to the garage in the back.

They walked through empty, echoing hallways, looking for him or one of his servants that might know his location. Unfortunately, the place seemed emptier than usual.

A quick look into his bedroom suite revealed it to be unoccupied, with no way to tell if he'd been in there recently or not.

After thoroughly checking the upstairs, Rinoa and Ellone headed downstairs, intending to check either the sitting room or the study. The sitting room was empty but the study...

A loud crash and a series of thuds brought Rinoa running toward the half-opened door, heart in her throat, with Ellone close behind.

She looked wildly around at a scene of utter chaos. One of her father's bodyguards lay face down amid the shattered remains of a wooden table, with chesspieces scattered about. The far wall looked as though some revenant had burst through it, bent on mayhem.

Then she heard a voice snarling, "I don't think we've finished our _discussion_ yet, general."

Rinoa whirled and froze at the tableau before her. Squall, looking battered and feral, held her father by the throat, pinned against the wall. Her father was struggling against Squall's grip, but it was a losing battle; he was no match against Squall's rage-fueled strength.

It was shock that made her voice calm when she said, "he can't talk if you're strangling him, Squall."

"Squall!" Ellone gasped. "Let him go!"

He didn't respond beyond tightening his lips at first. Then he gradually loosened his grip, watching Caraway closely as he moved his hand from his throat to his uppper chest, still pinning him against the wall. Caraway sagged, coughing and gasping.

"Can someone please explain to me what's going on?" Rinoa asked.

Squall glanced at her, just for a moment...but that split second of inattention was enough for Caraway to bring his knee up into Squall's groin while simultaneously smashing his fist into his jaw.

Squall stumbled back, bent double and cursing. Caraway pressed his advantage with another punch to the jaw that sent Squall sprawling. He started to move in for another attack before Squall could regroup and counter-because he knew at _this_ point, the former SeeD's response would likely be lethal- but was brought up short by the man's petite sister, who'd leapt between them.

"Stop!" she said coldly, holding the Taser trained on him. Behind her, Squall shifted, glaring balefully at them both, and she added, " _Both_ of you!"

He subsided with an inarticulate growl, and a put-upon expression that was almost comical.

"Thank you, Ellone." Rinoa said with relief, earning a small smile from the woman.

Folding her arms, she glared at her father first, then Squall, who was slowly sorting himself out and attempting to stand. He looked much the worse for the encounter; blood trailed down his chin from a split lip, and he had the beginnings of a bruise on his jaw, along with his general dishevelment, which surprised her, given what she knew of his abilities. Then again, she _had_ distracted him, giving her father the opening he'd needed. Of course, that was _not_ her intent, and she hoped Squall realized that.

Returning her attention to her father, Rinoa asked, "Now, will you _please_ tell me what the hell is going on?"

"Exactly what it looked like. He was trying to kill me." Caraway answered.

By this time, Squall had managed to painfully regain his feet, and leaned against the sofa, still hunched slightly over his groin. He was doing his best not to clutch at himself, but he was still obviously uncomfortable; Caraway's knee had hit him square in the balls, and it was all he could do not to curl into a fetal position. At Caraway's answer, he swore under his breath and gave him a dirty look.

"Tell her why." Squall challenged.

"And this is where you tell me everything else." Rinoa said. "Starting with why you _lied_ to me and told me that Squall had sent you with a message that he'd been called away to the island, when he'd had his phone with him and could simply have called or texted me himself. Or, if his phone _wasn't_ working for some reason, which I know it was, he could have sent one of the maids or Sidney. He would _not_ have sent _you_."

Finally, he answered, "I sent you home so you wouldn't hear the racket he was making. I'd stuck him in the alcove over there."

He gestured to the splintered remains of the door, glad that Squall had burned though most of his strength simply fighting his way free. He'd never met the young man in a physical contest before, and had thought the stories about him were exaggeration. To learn that they were not and that Squall was _far_ stronger than he'd thought, was sobering indeed.

Even tired, he could easily have killed Caraway, and might have, if Rinoa hadn't found them when she did.

"And _why_ was he locked in the alcove?" Rinoa asked with exaggerated patience.

"That's what _I'd_ like to know," Squall muttered under his breath.

Caraway took a deep breath, visibly steeled himself, and said, "to hold him until I could move him _elsewhere_."

"Why?" Rinoa demanded in mounting aggravation. "And where? Just tell me and quit dragging it out! You think I don't know what you did with my other boyfriends? Of course, none of them would talk to me or tell me _exactly_ what it was, but I know you did _something_ to run them off. So tell me, what did you plan to do with Squall?"

Caraway set his jaw and answered, "Drop him off in a remote spot on his island. Weaponless. Let him figure it out from there."

Rinos stared at him, aghast, saying, "you might as well just shoot him in the head! Really? _This_ is your solution to a boyfriend you don't like?"

"Rinoa, he's dangerous. A...a killer. A psychopath. He's proposed to isolate you and spirit you off to an island where he can do pretty much as he pleases. A dangerous place rife with creatures that even he's having a hard time dealing with...and .."

"And don't bullshit me that you give a _fuck_ about my safety!" Rinoa snapped, prompting both Squall and Ellone to stare at her in surprise. "This is about how you'd look to your political cronies if you had someone with _his_ past who knew your secrets -and I _know_ you have them- as a member of your family. I saw you having a conversation with Senator Saranoff, and I can guess what she told you."

Caraway snorted, "That woman's as dirty as they come. But if you're referring to the fact that your fiancee was a _whore_ for nearly two years, then yes, she told me."

"Oh, I'm sure that will do _wonders_ for your political aspirations," Squall interjected, then winced and moved his head away from Ellone's attempts to blot the blood from his lip and chin.

Suddenly, it all made sense. The general had had a long and distinguished military career, and Rinoa already knew how political the Galbadian army was. Several other high-ranking officers had transitioned into politics over the years, why not her father?

And politicians played dirty, digging up _anything_ that would cast their opponents in a less than flattering light.

But if that had mattered at all to Rinoa, she wouldn't have gotten involved with Squall in the first place, and she certainly would not have said "yes" to his awkward but still heartfelt proposal. So her father could simply suck it up and deal with it, or disown her. She was beyond caring at this point _what_ he did, and was _well_ beyond done with his interference in her life.

"How stupid of me not to consider _your_ plans before I fell in love with Squall." Rinoa spat angrily.

Turning away from him, she added, "and for your information, that was the exact reason I started using mother's name instead of yours. So that what _you_ did in the political arena wouldn't reflect poorly upon _me_. The sword cuts both ways, father."

"Rinoa," Caraway said, reaching out to her.

"We're done here." she said crisply, approaching Squall and taking his hand.

He frowned and squeezed her hand gently.

"What about...?" Squall asked, gesturing toward the wreckage and the groaning bodyguard, who was just now beginning to regain consciousness.

"He'll sweep it under the rug like he has everything else, won't you Caraway?" Rinoa said, glancing over her shoulder at him.

Looking back at Squall and feeling the sudden prickle of tears beginning, she took a deep breath and said, "Let's go home."

Squall nodded and straightened up, wincing slightly as he did, and followed Rinoa's lead toward the door.

As they passed Caraway, he paused and said, "For your information general, I'm not a psychopath. Or a sociopath. I have the medical and psychological reports to prove it."

"That doesn't matter. If anything happens to her because of you, I'll kill you." Caraway said.

"General, if anything happens to her because of me, I'll give you the goddamned gun myself." Squall said flatly, then left, leaving Caraway staring after them amid the remains of his study.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Love it or hate it, here's another chapter for you all.. and a confrontation that was a long time coming. Those two had to go at it at some point... fortunately Ellone and Rinoa were there to diffuse the situation before things went too far. So, now the question is, what kind of fallout will result from this, and how will it affect wedding plans? Stay tuned and we'll see... I'm gonna keep on with this, because I think I've got my mojo back and want to wrap this up and move on to my NEXT WIP that I want to finish.. hope you like it, as I'm fairly confident that THIS chapter doesn't suck


	28. Chapter 28

Squall drove Ellone and Rinoa back to Rinoa's apartment tired, aching and not at all interested in rehashing recent events. Conversation was sporadic; the girls had caught his somber mood and spoke quietly together, occasionally attempting -and failing- to involve him. Squall preferred to brood. At least Ellone knew him well enough by now to leave him alone, and Rinoa...well, she was learning.

Rinoa was, in fact, the main reason _why_ he was brooding. Her father had just tried to kill him. No matter how you dressed it up or rationalized it, the man's intent had been plain. Viewed in that light, Squall's response had been right in line with what a normal, rational man would have done. Mostly. It left him wondering though, what she thought, now that she'd seen how violent he could be, if pushed far enough. It was sobering to realize that Rinoa had never actually seen him at his worst, most dangerous. Until now.

He stole a glance at her, feeling a different sort of ache at the tears he could see hovering just under the surface. Truth was, he didn't know what to do or what to expect. Caraway could sweep their confrontation under the proverbial rug if he wanted to, or he could have Squall arrested for assault. He supposed a phone call to Quistis in the morning might not be a bad idea, just to give her a heads up, if nothing else.

"What happens now?" Ellone asked softly, echoing his thoughts.

"I don't know," Rinoa answered. "If you're worried about him calling the police though, I wouldn't. Police have to investigate, and make reports...even the bought ones...and my father _hates_ explaining his private affairs to anyone, much less the cops. Nobody died, and the only thing damaged was furniture and a wall panel. He'll have that cleared up and fixed within a day or two and it'll be like nothing ever happened."

Squall glanced at Rinoa again, then frowned. He wasn't going to trust that, even though Rinoa would have a better idea than most what her father would likely do. For the moment however, all he wanted was to get back to Rinoa's, drink down a couple of beers and apply ice packs to his various battered bits.

And sleep. Whether alone or with Rinoa, he wasn't entirely sure. He wanted both equally, and had no explanation for his inner conflict. Or rather, he _did_ , and simply didn't want to think about it.

It was with great relief that he finally pulled into the parking space he normally used when visiting Rinoa.

"Squall, wait." Rinoa said as he got out of his truck and started walking toward her apartment.

He did as she asked and waited while she exited the truck along with Ellone and caught up to him, taking his hand and squeezing it. The warm contact was heartening, and left him hopeful that all was not yet lost with her. At least she wasn't running away and swearing out a restraining order.

"I'm sorry," she said.

He stared at her, confused. "Why? You had nothing to do with this."

"No, but..." she looked away, biting her lip. "I distracted you, and you ended up getting hurt because of me."

He shook his head, "no, that wasn't your fault either. And really, it's nothing that some ice packs won't take care of." Squeezing her hand back, he continued to her building with her walking beside him.

They walked up the stairs to Rinoa's apartment, Ellone trailing behind. Upon opening the door and recieving Angelo's enthusiastic welcome, he scratched behind her ears in acknowledgement of her greeting. Glancing toward Ellone, he caught the soft look in her eyes at his interaction with the dog and quirked one side of his mouth in a slight smile, mindful of his split lip.

"We need to deal with that," Rinoa said, indicating the injury.

"It's fine. I'm pretty sure it won't need stitches. I'll take care of it." He said, heading toward the bathroom.

"Would you let me be the judge of that?" Ellone said.

Squall paused, "Elle..."

Rinoa looked from Ellone to Squall and then said, "Squall, just let us check, okay?"

"You want to check my balls too? Caraway got me pretty good there." Squall said, glaring at Ellone in exasperation.

She snorted, "I'll leave that to Rinoa." Turning to Rinoa, she added, "Do tell me though, if anything seems out of the ordinary. Swelling, discoloration, prolonged pain, that sort of thing."

"He didn't kick me _that_ hard," Squall muttered, cheeks burning.

"Are you a doctor?" Rinoa asked curiously. Somehow as they'd gotten to know each other, the subject of Ellone's career choice had never come up.

"I'm an E.R. nurse." Ellone answered.

"Oh, well then, be my guest." Rinoa said, gesturing toward Squall, who'd folded his arms across his chest, watching them both with a stubborn expression on his face.

"I have healing potions on my boat." he said.

"Is that where you plan to sleep tonight?" Ellone asked with her eyebrows raised.

Uncertainty flickered across Squall's face and he glanced at Rinoa before answering, "I...don't know."

"Well then," Ellone said, advancing purposefully toward him. "Let's take care of this. Shame to waste a potion on something this minor, I know how expensive they are."

"How..."

"Hush. Rinoa, would you get me a cloth soaked in cold water? Do you have any medicated lip balm by any chance?" Ellone asked.

"Yes, I do actually. Sailing makes for chapped lips so I keep some on hand for both Squall and I." Rinoa answered, leaving the room.

"Shame about the suit. I hope it can be cleaned and repaired, it's my favorite. I love how you look in it." Ellone said, sighing at the bloodstains and the torn shoulder seams.

"I can afford a new one." Squall said dismissively.

"I know." Ellone replied. "Sit down please and relax. It'll be easier if I don't have to look up all the time, and I know you're tired and hurting."

Squall didn't bother to deny it; he _was_ tired, and battered and bruised. The fight with Caraway's bodyguard had been a short but intense one, and had left Squall with sore ribs and skinned knuckles. He was pretty sure the ribs were only bruised though. He'd had his ribs broken before and could tell the difference. Add that to the effort he'd had to expend in escaping, and he was well-nigh exhausted.

Sighing, he pulled out a chair in the dining room and sat down.

"Better?"

"Much."

Moving closer, Ellone placed her fingers under his chin and gently tilted his head to get a better look at the injured lip and bruised jaw. Rinoa returned with the requested items, pulled out another chair and sat down. Reaching out tentatively, she took his hand in hers. Ellone didn't miss the slight relaxation of tension in his shoulders.

Dabbing at the crusted blood on his lip and chin, she told him, "Open your mouth."

When he obliged her, she gently pulled the lip out to check to see if the inner lining had been cut and how deep. The lip was swollen where he'd been punched, but it had already stopped bleeding and crusted over. The sensitive tissues in his mouth _had_ in fact been cut by his teeth but not deeply. Carefully, she checked to see if any of his teeth had been loosened. Fortunately, none had. Finally she dabbed a little bit of the lip balm onto the scab on his lip, hoping it would aid in healing.

Pressing the cold cloth against his bruised jaw, she directed, "Hold that."

When he did, she asked, "Do your balls still hurt?"

He gave her a narrow eyed glare, then glanced uncomfortably at Rinoa before finally admitting, "Yeah."

"All right." standing up, she went into the kitchen and got a dishtowel and a small bag of frozen peas. Wrapping the bag in the dishtowel, she offered it to Squall when she returned.

"What's this for?" he asked her warily.

"Exactly what you think it's for." Ellone answered him.

He hesitated, reluctantly let go of Rinoa's hand and took the bag, then placed it over his crotch with a sigh.

"I'll buy you a new bag of peas when I'm done with this." He said, glancing apologetically at Rinoa.

"Don't worry about it," she said. "It's not like I'm a huge fan of peas anyway"

"How long do I need to leave this on anyway? I'm not really fond of freezing my junk off." Squall asked Ellone.

"Just a few minutes." She answered, then asked, "anything else hurt?"

"I'm pretty sure my ribs are bruised..." When Ellone made a move toward his shirt he protested, " _Just_ bruised. I've broken my ribs before and I know the difference. Trust me."

"All right, if you say so. You'll be sore tomorrow."

"I know."

Ellone glanced at her watch then, and said, "I should probably get going back to the hotel."

"Please stay," Rinoa asked, and Squall nodded agreement.

"We'll figure out sleeping arrangments.." he said.

Ellone shook her head, "No. Thank you for asking but...I know you need your privacy, and I wouldn't want to intrude. I'll see you both tomorrow."

She leaned into Squall for a moment, giving him a half-hug, then caressed the top of his head before kissing it.

"I love you, brother. If you need anything, call me." she said softly. Rinoa stood up and gave her a tight hug, kissing her cheek.

"Same here, Sis." Rinoa whispered.

Ellone smiled at them both, then left.

* * *

Rinoa truly did like and admire Squall's sister, Ellone, but was rather relieved when the woman insisted upon going back to her hotel room. She rather wished that _she'd_ been the one to tend to Squall's injuries...selfish perhaps, but there it was. She _was_ glad that they were minor, however.

After closing and locking the door for the night, she turned back to Squall and indicating the cloth and the cold-pack, asked, "are you done with those?"

"Yeah." he answered.

Returning to his side, she took them from him and put the peas back in the freezer. They weren't too defrosted and might come in handy in the future. The cloth she simply hung up to dry.

She turned around to catch Squall watching her, his expression hard to decipher. He'd been quiet and restrained, almost cautious, with her ever since they'd left her father's house. She wondered if he felt betrayed because of what her father had attempted to do to him. He'd trusted her, and by extension her father, and had nearly paid the ultimate price for it. He'd said that he didn't blame her for it, had in fact acted honestly surprised when she'd tried to apologize, so she was reasonably certain that he didn't think she had anything to do with it.

_It_ being his kidnapping, imprisonment and attempted murder by her father.

Walking back toward him, she asked hesitantly, "are you going to stay here tonight?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Of course. Why would you think otherwise?" Rinoa asked, coming to a stop in front of where he sat and leaning back against the dining room table.

She had a vivid recollection of what had happened the _last_ time she'd taken that particular pose. She hoped that subtle reminder would inspire a reprise of that interlude.

Squall's eyes were fixed on his feet however when he said, "You saw me. Holding your father by the throat, with a man lying still on the ground. You wouldn't have known if he was dead or alive, but you would have known that _I'd_ done that. That everything your father had warned you about me was true. I _am_ a killer. Dangerous. Perhaps, too dangerous for you..."

" _Were_." Rinoa said firmly.

Squall looked up, slowly, eyes traveling the length of her body until they reached her face, and he swallowed visibly. Rinoa suppressed a smile at his reaction.

"What?"

"You _were_ that. You're _not_ anymore."

Reaching out to him, Rinoa caressed his face gently and threaded her fingers through his hair, saying, "I've never felt anything but loved and...safe...with you. Nothing you've done has made me feel afraid of you. Afraid _for_ you sometimes but not _of_ you. I know about the nightmares you have sometimes, and I would comfort you if you'd let me but...you tend to leave, when you have them. I guess you feel it safer that way, and I don't know, maybe it is but...I know what PTSD is. I was engaged to a soldier once. No one escapes it."

Squall stared at her, "It's not..."

"Yes it is. The signs were there, it just took me awhile to put it all together." Holding his face between her hands, Rinoa looked deep into his eyes, and said, "You got help for it though, didn't you ? I mean, I saw how uncomfortable you were at my father's. It didn't occur to me that it might have brought up bad memories, but you..dealt with it pretty well."

"You mean, I didn't freak out." Squall said with a humorless half-smile. "That would be Marti's doing."

"Marti? Your former boss at the resort?" Rinoa asked.

"Yeah," Squall answered. "She made it condition of my continued employment there. I was...too scary...for the security staff. I guess I was a little unstable, early on."

He ducked his head and rubbed at the back of his neck unconsciously. Rinoa immediately moved her hands to the back of his neck, sneaking them under his hand, and began gently kneading at the lingering tension that resided there.

"Go on," she encouraged. "I know there's more."

There was. When Squall had arrived at the resort to start his job there, he'd been in Esthar for roughly two weeks, and had burned through the bulk of his ready cash. He was already under an unbelievable amount of pressure because of Ellone's illness. Between his constant worry for her, and the financial stress of her treatments, coupled with the necessity of leaving SeeD and all of the baggage that it had left in his psyche, his mental and emotional stability had deteriorated rapidly.

He became twitchy and hair-triggered, apt to lash out if not approached carefully. Unpredictable. Dangerous. It came to a head when one of his subordinates made the mistake of coming up behind him in a confined space. Squall's instinctive reaction was almost lethal for the young man.

Marti had given him two weeks off and an ultimatum: complete an intensive, holistic wellness regimen that included but was not limited to meditation and counseling, or seek work elsewhere. Beggared by Ellone's medical treatments, he'd had no choice but to comply.

After that first two weeks, he continued the regimen on his own. It had helped him immensely.

"It saved my life, in fact." he said. "I'm pretty sure I would have self-destructed rather spectacularly otherwise. I wouldn't even have wanted or intended to. I love Ellone with all my heart, but...I was ill-equipped to deal with the reality of what we were facing."

Rinoa leaned forward and kissed the top of his head, eyes stinging. Squall's arms slid around her waist, holding her loosely while he buried his face in her bosom. Rinoa tightened her arms slightly and rested her head atop his.

"It was lucky you happened to be in a place that could help you like that. I'm glad that it worked for you." she whispered.

"It wasn't entirely luck, I _chose_ that place. I guess subconsciously I knew I needed a place like the resort. Someplace peaceful and remote. The rest just sort of happened." Squall murmured.

"Well I'm glad it did." she said. Then she pulled back slightly and took Squall's face between her hands, kissing his forehead lightly, then the tip of his nose, then, very tenderly, his lips.

"I love you," she whispered. "Let's go to bed, shall we?"

* * *

He still didn't know how Rinoa could understand and still love him after what had happened. He supposed the fact that nobody had actually _died_ made a difference. He realized that while he was fighting the general's bodyguard, he _hadn't_ been trying to kill him. He had subconsciously shied away from using his more lethal techniques, which would have had the man dead in seconds. His intent had been to disable, rather than kill. At least in _that_ case.

Caraway though... _Him_ , Squall had _wanted_ to kill. Had Rinoa not shown up when she did, he'd have crushed the bastard's windpipe without another thought. He supposed that was a stroke of luck he should feel thankful for. Estranged or not, killing his fiancée's father just before their wedding did not bode well for the length of the relationship.

Dropping her hands from his face, Rinoa reached down and took both of his hands, urging him to his feet. Then she walked backward a few steps, towing him toward the bedroom, hips swaying and eyes locked with his.

"I hate to disappoint you, but your father nailed my balls pretty hard. They're still a little shell-shocked." Squall said ruefully. "I don't think anything's going to happen tonight."

"That bastard." Rinoa frowned darkly. "I'll bet he did it on purpose. Well, I _do_ need to check to see if he did any permanent damage..."

Squall eyed her thoughtfully, commenting, "you know, that's the second bona-fide swear word I've heard you say today. And as to the other, I can guarantee he did it on purpose, though what that purpose ultimately _was_ is the question."

"Third, actually." Rinoa corrected him.

"Third?" he asked, then he remembered. "I'm corrupting you terribly."

Rinoa nodded with a smug smile, and said, "and I'm enjoying every minute of it. Want to corrupt me some more?"

"That's a loaded question if I've ever heard one."

"And what is your answer?" she asked archly.

"What do _you_ think?" he asked, gaze heating up.

Rinoa felt a warm thrill rush through her at Squall's blatantly sensual expression, injured..."pride" ...notwithstanding. His swollen, scabbed over lower lip and bruised jaw, coupled with his scarred face and disheveled hair, made him look both sexy and dangerous. A warrior set to claim his prize.

With an impish grin and a raised eyebrow, Rinoa deliberately overturned that image.

When they reached the doorway to the bedroom, Rinoa let go of one of Squall's hands, retaining possesion of the other one, and turned around to continue leading him into the room.

Once they reached the bed, she said, "Strip and lie down."

Squall gave her a slight grin, mindful of his split lip, and started unbuttoning his shirt. He had some anxiety regarding...things. As much as his _spirit_ may be willing, his flesh may _not_ be. He wasn't in the habit of having his testicles beaten up; he usually took steps to protect them if there was that possibility. But one doesn't wear a cup to social gatherings, unless it's a pub in a rough part of town, just after participating in an MMA competition. _Then_ , wearing a cup would make sense and be perfectly reasonable.

In short, as badly as he wanted to make love with Rinoa, at the moment, he might not be _able_ to.

In spite of that, he did as she had directed, enjoying her taking the lead. And making no secret of it. Rinoa could be quite _inventive_ if she was of a mind to be.

"What did you have in mind?" he asked her.

"Not what you think," she answered. "I want a full catalogue of all of your injuries. Past and present. Tell me about your scars."

Squall swallowed, then said, "you don't know what you're asking."

"Yes, I do."

"No, you..." Rinoa reached out and laid her fingers over his lips, silencing him.

"I do. I know that some of them will be difficult to tell me about, and it'll be difficult for me to hear. But I need to hear it...and you need to talk about it." Rinoa said.

Removing her fingers from his lips, she brushed them, very lightly, over the injured part. Then she bent down and touched her lips to the injury, barely touching it. She did the same to the bruise on his jaw.

"I already know how you got the split lip and bruised jaw. You have bruises on your ribs too, and your shoulder," she said, pausing to kiss each injury as she acknowledged it.

"Your father's bodyguard hit my ribs pretty good a couple of times. And the shoulder...that would probably be from me throwing myself against that panel until I finally managed to get free of it. My legs are sore from kicking it." Squall said.

"What about this?" she traced her fingers lightly over four parallel scars that were about twelve centimeters long each, on his ribcage opposite the side that had been bruised.

"Torama attack. At the resort." He answered.

Rinoa kissed each one, then let her fingers wander where they would, brushing them over his chest and swirling them through the sparse hair there, before continuing down to his abdomen.

More scars there, some Rinoa could guess the cause of, some she could not.

Touching each of four round, coin sized scars that dotted his torso, she asked, "bullet scars?"

"Yeah. Different times though." Indicating the scar at his waist, he said, "this was the first one. It was on my field exam. I had some healing potion with me so I managed to push through to complete my mission." he answered her.

Touching the other three in turn, he continued, "this one was an ambush in Timber, this one a firefight in Northern Dollet, and _this_ one," he tapped one that rested just below his left breast. "Nearly killed me. Negotiations went bad. Fortunately I wasn't alone this time, and one of my teammates was able to save me."

"Who was it?" Rinoa asked, chilled by Squall's rather matter-of-fact attitude toward his brush with death. That he was still so casual about it told her more than she wanted to know about him.

"Zell, actually."

Rinoa appreciated anew the loyalty Squall's comrades had shown him, now and in the past.

"I love Zell," she murmured, kissing each scar.

Squall sighed theatrically, "I _thought_ you loved _me_..."

Rinoa looked up and saw the mischief glinting in his eyes and smiled, "You know I do."

Squall's skin warmed as she worked her way lower.

Examining him critically, she said, "well, the good news is I can't find anything visibly wrong here. Hard to tell if you're bruised though."

Then she saw another scar she hadn't noticed before, an inch below the crease of his groin on his right thigh.

"This looks like... A burn scar. Where'd you get _this_?"

Squall swallowed. He did _not_ want to talk about that, or about any of the other scars associated with it. He did not want to, but he did.

"Same place I got these," he answered, showing her the small, round scars that decorated the palms, and backs, of his hands.

"Looks like something was stabbed through your hands." she commented, frowning.

Taking his hands in hers, she brushed her thumbs gently over the scars on the palms, then turned them over and kissed their counterparts on the backs of his hands. They were small, those scars, and easily overlooked, mistaken for gunblade calluses, or healed blisters.

"There was," he said.

"What?"

"Nails."

* * *

Rinoa stared at him.

"Nails." she said faintly, imagining, all too vividly, how that might have felt. How _he_ might have felt. Suddenly, she didn't want to hear about them. She didn't want to know how they came to be there, because she had a sick feeling that the truth would be...horrible.

"I was captured, while on a job and...tortured for information."

She was right.

She wanted to tell him that it was okay, he didn't have to say any more. Not to spare him the pain of retelling it, but to selfishly spare _herself_ the pain of hearing it.

Instead, she stayed mute and paralyzed, staring at him through eyes burning with unshed tears as he told her the story in a dead, dispassionate voice that cut her to the heart.

"I can't tell you too many details. Can't reveal any names save the one you know. It was the last job I did for him, your father... but not my last as a SeeD. I'd just made Commander, so could demand a higher fee than if I'd just been an ordinary SeeD."

It was an assassination, something that Squall had gained a reputation for excelling at. It was supposed to be in and out, quick and clean, with no one the wiser...save those who had contracted him to do the job.

It was anything but.

Bad intelligence and bad luck had left him vulnerable at an inopportune time and he was captured. He didn't blame Caraway for it; the man's intel in the past had been spot on, but nobody was perfect _all_ the time. And his sources in this case had been suspect from the start, information that Squall had learned of too late.

He'd been brought into his target's study, stripped and thrown into a small, closet-like room that adjoined it. It was dark, airless and confining. The stench of old blood, vomit and shit told Squall that the room had been used before, and for what. It was confirmation that Squall didn't need that the rumors surrounding the man's activities were accurate. Chillingly so.

"He wanted to know who had sent me, so he'd know where to send my head. I wouldn't tell him of course. So, he nailed me to the wall in that little room in his study. He left the panel open, left a spotlight shining on me, so he could watch me...suffer." Squall said, staring down at his hands and flexing them as though to reassure himself that they were still whole and uninjured.

"His study was very similar to your father's. Old money tends to be rather unimaginative with regard to interior design, I guess."

"That's why you were so uncomfortable, walking into that house." Rinoa said softly.

Squall nodded, then he went on, compelled to tell Rinoa the rest. He had told no one about it, not even the counselors he'd worked with in Esthar. To be able to speak about it now, even with certain details still hidden for security's sake...was like a gift.

"It takes over a month for someone to die of starvation, but only three days to die from lack of water. And it takes about four minutes, give or take, for someone to suffocate." Squall said. "I don't know if he was intending to watch me slowly starve to death or die of thirst, or if he just wanted to see how long I'd endure what he did to me. "

In fact, it was all of that, and more.

"He started with electroshock," Squall said. "When you have electricity coursing through your body...and I don't know how many volts it was, I just know it was enough to _hurt_ , not to kill...your body can't help but jerk and convulse. The guy doing this found it hugely entertaining."

He kept asking Squall about his employer, while detailing all of the horrible things he would do to him if he didn't answer. His only promise if Squall gave him the information he sought, was a quick death to end his victim's agony. His victim told him to go fuck himself.

"I don't know how long I was kept there," Squall said, eyes going unfocused as he related his torment.

Rinoa wanted him to stop, in fact tried to whisper it to him but her voice clogged in her throat.

"It could have been just hours, or it could have been days. He...enjoyed seeing me helpless, at his mercy, and he made a great show of forcing me to eat and drink so I wouldn't die before he was ready for me to. I managed the water at least but...most of the time I threw up from the pain. So I couldn't really eat."

As time dragged on, his tormentor began to get impatient. And Squall was weakening. He could tell he wasn't going to last much longer, so he began to insult the man in order to anger him enough to kill him. He was tired of enduring the torture too and wanted it to end.

He was beaten. Electocuted. Doused in cold water when he passed out, and left to shiver while he dried. Whipped with a coach whip; the thin cord left painful weals but no scars behind. And he was burned with a red-hot iron poker.

"I'm not sure if he had decided what to do with that hot iron," Squall said. "His intent was to castrate me, then violate me with the thing or something..I don't know. He wanted to see if I would die from shock, blood loss, or infection, I guess. He was curious about how long it would take."

One thing the man had not counted on or even considered, really, was the construction of his house. Specifically, the walls. Even the strongest, highest quality drywall will not hold a nail in it for very long unless a specific type is used or the nail is driven into a stud. The nails that had impaled Squall's hands, fastening him to the wall and displaying him like a trophy, were ten centimeters long. Long enough, it was thought, to anchor Squall firmly and hold him fast.

It was a miscalculation that would cost Squall's target his life.

The convulsions from the electroshock, Squall's struggles as he was tortured, all had served to loosen the nails that held him fast. They had been driven through his hands into drywall, not a solid wood stud. Through a haze of pain and delirium, Squall gradually became aware of this, and awakened to the possibility of escape.

When the man came at him with the gelding knife and the iron, Squall was ready for him. He'd gotten the nails loosened enough by this point, that one good _hard_ pull was all he needed to free himself. Before the man could employ his knife, or use the glowing red tip on the end of his iron poker to any effect, Squall pulled himself loose and knocked them both away. In doing so, the iron struck him across the top of his thigh just two centimeters below the inguinal crease, and _far_ too close to his genitals for comfort, burning him instantly.

A sharp head-butt knocked the man to the ground, giving Squall enough time to finish freeing himself. Then, rage momentarily overriding his weak, injured body, Squall grabbed the iron poker from where it had fallen to the ground, catching the carpet on fire as it did, and grimly beat the man to death with it.

Dropping the poker next to the body on the now burning carpet, he went in search of his clothes and belongings, finding them and escaping the mansion just before it became engulfed in flames and burned to the ground.

"I spent several days recovering. Had to use up the last of my gil to get healing potions to help with the worst of my injuries. As soon as I could travel, I reported to your father, confirming that my mission had been accomplished. He commended me on the way I'd gone about it; the media and everyone else thought it had been an accidental fire that had resulted in my target's death. No one bothered to investigate further." Squall said.

"Oh, Squall..." Rinoa finally managed, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I'm sorry. So, so sorry. I shouldn't have asked you to relive that..."

She leaned over and flung her arms around him where he lay on her bed, sobbing into his chest. Gently, his arms came around her and he held her close, stroking her hair.

"I'm...okay. The counselors were right, at the spa. You have to drain the poison from the wound before it will heal. I'll be okay Rinoa, I just hope...that you don't think I'm a monster, for what I did..." He whispered into her hair.

Lifting her head from his chest, Rinoa stared at him incredulously. "What? You think I'll judge you for killing the man who _tortured_ you?"

"No...I'm afraid you'll think me a monster for beating him to a bloody pulp. And killing people for gil." Squall answered.

"You are _not_ your past." Rinoa said firmly, wiping the tears away from her eyes. "And I love who you are _now_."

* * *

Squall reached out and caressed Rinoa's cheek, whispering, "How did I deserve you?"

"You don't." Rinoa said with a watery laugh, "but I love you anyway."

"I love you too," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her again, feeling incredibly lucky. Blessed.

Rinoa shifted, and he relaxed his embrace, finally releasing her when she pulled away for a moment. Then, she very deliberately began kissing all of his scars again, one by one...until she reached the burn scar on his thigh. Kissing it gently, she then turned her attention to his genitals, which were currently limp and uninterested in the proceedings. Before she could take steps to remedy that situation, Squall stopped her.

"Let's...leave things be for the moment and get ready for bed," he said uncomfortably, suiting words to action by getting out of bed and heading for the bathroom.

Rinoa sighed, biting her lip, as she watched him leave. More scars on his back that he hadn't mentioned, but.. Truthfully, she'd gotten so used to the various marks his former profession had left upon him, she didn't even notice them anymore.

Following him slowly, she peeked through the half-open door to see him leaning over the sink and brushing his teeth.

Pushing the door open the rest of the way, she came in and caressed his back before hugging him gently from behind, pressing herself into his back and wrapping her arms loosely around his middle.

"I'm sorry," she said, cheek pressed against him. "I didn't mean to push..."

There was no response save the sound of Squall spitting and water running. Then his hand gripped hers where she'd clasped then together over his navel, squeezing them gently.

"You weren't pushing. I just need a little time, that's all. I don't want to disappoint you." Glancing back over his shoulder at her, he gave her a half-smile, adding, "It takes awhile for things to get back to normal, so to speak, after something like that."

Turning around to face her, he slid his hands around her waist and, mindful of his injured lip, kissed her lightly. Rinoa sighed and leaned into it, tasting peppermint.

"This will probably be the only time you'll hear me say this, but how about we just cuddle and..talk?"

For some reason, that struck Rinoa as hilariously funny. She tried to stifle the laughter that bubbled up, but it emerged anyway in the form of muffled snorts.

"What's so funny?" Squall asked, lips twitching as her amusement began to infect him.

Rinoa shook her head, unable to form coherent speech at the moment, finally abandoning all efforts to control it. Collapsing against him, she shuddered and shook as she whooped, giggled and snorted with laughter.

Squall couldn't help but join her; the sounds she was making alone were more than enough to set him off as well. He had no idea why she was laughing, but it felt cleansing to laugh along with her.

Eventually the storm passed and Rinoa regained her composure, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes.

Then she smiled at him and said, "That sounds like a wonderful idea. I'll go get ready for bed and join you in a few minutes."

Squall nodded, still mystified, and left her in the bathroom to perform her nightly routine, while he turned off the lights and returned to the bed to wait for her.

She rejoined him a short time later and slid into the bed, and into his arms. Pulling her close against him, spoon fashion, he closed his eyes and buried his face in her hair, taking a deep breath and letting it out, feeling the last lingering bits of tension flow out of him.

They lay together in silence for a moment, listening to each other breathe. Rinoa stroked her fingers lightly over his arms where they crossed over her belly, and Squall tighened his embrace slightly.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Rinoa asked, a hint of laughter still lingering in her voice.

"Why were you laughing so hard? I wasn't actually trying to be funny.." Squall asked her frowning slightly.

"I wasn't laughing _at_ you, really." She reassured him. "It's just the way that you _said_ that. And yeah, the fact that you were actually suggesting that we _cuddle_ and _talk_ when you...and I would hazard a guess, most other guys... would ordinarily want to do the exact opposite."

Squall snorted, "Well, I _do_ want to do the exact opposite, I just _can't_ right now. I do need _some_ recovery time."

Rinoa tried but could't completely stifle her sigh, "any idea how long before you're...okay?"

"Pretty sure I'll be fine by morning. That's usually about how long it takes." he answered.

"This has happened before?" Rinoa asked, surprised.

"Once or twice.. it's a pretty common tactic to attack such a well-known vulnerability. It rarely fails to disable. I don't know _any_ man who'd be able to fight effectively, or at _all_ , after getting a good hard blow to the balls. The trick is _avoiding_ such attacks. I should have anticipated your father's move." Squall said.

"Jeez." Rinoa said, squirming uncomfortably in sympathy. "I wonder how many times they can get hit like that before they're damaged permanently."

"Why? Do you want kids?" he asked, then froze, heart pounding. The question had just slipped out. Truthfully, he'd never thought of it beyond taking steps to prevent that from happening.

He hadn't even considered what _Rinoa_ might want, after they were married. They'd never spoken of it.

"Actually, yes I do. Do you?"

Squall opened his mouth to answer...and nothing came out. He had no idea. Had never even entertained that possibility. _Did_ he want children? With Rinoa? He tried to visualize himself as a father and was unable to. He had no frame of reference whatsoever.

"Squall?" Rinoa asked, when his silence continued.

For a moment, she was worried. This was _huge_. If they weren't on the same page with that from the start, well...it didn't bode well for the health of their relationship. _Could_ she live with the fact that she'd never hold a baby of her own if Squall did not want any children, or worse, if she or he was unable to for some reason? That possibility always existed, though she was reasonably sure that she was healthy and fertile. Did she love him enough for just _him_ to be enough, if children were off the table?

She let the silence be, let Squall ponder the question just as she was pondering it, allowing him to make a decision without any pressure from her. She knew it _had_ to be his decision, whichever way it ended up. For herself however, she had already chosen. Children or no children, she loved him. Period.

He swallowed audibly, then answered, "I... I don't know. I've never thought of it."

Rinoa could feel his sudden tension communicated by his embrace and through his body, where it pressed against hers.

Seized by a need to reassure him, she rolled over to face him, tracing his features in the darkness before pulling close and burying her face into his chest, kissing him there, breathing in his scent.

"It's...okay." She whispered. "I love you, regardless of whether or not you want children. We have Angelo, if nothing else..."

"She's a dog, not a child," Squall said with an odd note to his voice.

"I know. Some people, that's all they can manage. Some, not even that." she said.

"Yeah." he sighed, relaxing again, and smoothed his hands up her back and down again, pausing to caress her hair before kissing it. "It's not that I'm opposed, exactly. I just...I have no frame of reference. The only kids I've ever come in contact with were cadets, and only the senior ones at that. Young children, babies, toddlers? No, never. We've had kids at Garden as young as five, but they're in a different area...I can't say that I _like_ them, but I also can't say that I _don't_. I guess it's different if they're yours too...I don't even know what kind of father I'd be, aside from maybe the most clueless one on the planet..."

"You wouldn't be the first man to say that." Rinoa said with a snort.

"Oh? Well, that's something, I suppose."

"There's always books, if you want to study up on the subject. And like I said, it's not a deal breaker for me. I love you for _you_ , kids or no kids. And you never know, we may find out that we can't, regardless of _what_ we want." Rinoa said. "One of us could be infertile, you know."

"Not _me_. _That_ I can be one hundred percent sure of. When I signed on as a concierge, they did a complete physical workup on me. Got baseline levels on everything. And I _do_ mean _everything_. Aside from a slight tendency toward hypertension, which the doctor advised me to keep an eye on, everything else is completely functional. If it comes down to a question of capability, there's no problems on _my_ end." Squall said.

"Nor on mine." Rinoa said.

"Well, there's _that_ question settled then."

Rinoa smiled in the darkness at the undeniable note of satisfaction in his voice. Even undecided on the prospect of fatherhood, he was still proud of the fact that he _could_ sire children if he chose to.

How very typically... _male_...of him.

His fingers then traced the contours of her face and jaw, outlining her lips in a feather light caress. Moving his fingers to her chin, he guided it upward and unerringly placed his lips upon hers. Light still, but no less hot for all that, it sent her blood racing. Particularly when his tongue joined in the teasing; licking, and kissing down her neck to her collarbone and below.

His hands roamed down her back again, idle caresses turning to purposeful ones, inflaming her further as well as adding a sharp edge of frustration, knowing what he would be unable to do. She squirmed and somehow ended up on her back, fighting for air while his mouth closed upon one of her breasts, and one of his hands ventured...south.

She was reduced in very short order to a shuddering bundle of throbbing nerve endings, and the edgy frustration from earlier melted away, leaving her drifting in drowsy contentment toward sleep.

Then a thought struck her and she roused enough to ask sleepily, "how did that guy intend to castrate you when he had the knife in one hand and the poker in the other? Seems kind of awkward. Wouldn't you need two hands to castrate someone?"

Squall snorted, "I'm pretty sure he wasn't worrying too much about doing a proper job of it. In fact, his only goal was to inflict as much pain and do as much damage as possible." Yawning quietly, he added, "let's go to sleep. I don't know about you, but I'm done."

"All right." Rinoa replied, yawning herself, and drifting off into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Happy New Everything! I ALMOST had this ready to post Christmas night, but alas, I fell asleep. So, fallout from Caraway's attempted murder results in some important revelations and discussions and... moving on to the next chapter... Hope you all had a wonderful and safe holiday, and I'll update again as soon as I can. enjoy!


	29. Chapter 29

Rinoa was awakened just before dawn by an erotic dream that seamlessly blended with reality. Squall's hands roamed her body, rousing her from sleep to hunger with evidence of his recovery pressing against her backside. His lips skimmed her shoulder and neck, while he palmed one of her breasts, caressing and teasing her nipple.

"mmmm..." Rinoa sighed, closing her eyes and arching back against him, inviting. "Fully functional now, obviously."

"Yes," he breathed hotly in her ear as he accepted her invitation and slid home. "Thought I'd pick up where we left off."

"You'll get no complaints from me," Rinoa said breathlessly, as he started to move.

Then she could utter nothing more, as one large hand continued caressing and teasing her breast and nipple, while the other traveled downward to where they were joined. Manipulating the bundle of nerves at her core in time with his thrusts, he played her like musical instrument, forcing her to moan an arpeggio as she lost herself in pleasure.

He came soon after, and they lay a moment together, still joined, basking in the moment.

Eventually they separated and Rinoa shifted to face him, snuggling close and kissing him at the base of his throat. His chain and pendant chimed softly as he moved to gather her close to him, kissing the top of her head and sighing quietly.

Caressing his back idly, Rinoa could tell by his breathing that he was still awake, so she asked him, "You're claustrophobic from what happened, aren't you? It's a wonder you can stand sleeping in your little boat. Its lovely but everything is so _confined_ there."

"I'm not claustrophobic." Squall replied. "That implies that I have an unreasoning, irrational fear of small, enclosed places. Which I do not. I have an intense _dislike_ of them, but only under specific conditions."

"So, you have...what then, if not claustrophobia?"

"Well, I forget the exact word for it," he said. "But it is a conditioned response to reminders of a certain, traumatic event."

"So, PTSD."

Squall's response was a wordless growl of disagreement.

Rinoa snorted, "Look, I get it. You don't like to hear the term, don't want to have it applied to you, don't want it rubber stamped on your forehead. You wouldn't be the first person to feel that way. Call it whatever you want. At least you got some help in dealing with it."

"Yeah." Squall sighed. "I do have triggers, certain things that will bring it back, which I try to avoid. Dark, confined spaces are definitely on the list. Certain smells. Sounds. As long as I acknowledge a trigger is there when I run across it, I can usually think my way through it. I haven't had a panic attack in over a year now, so I guess it's working. Meditation has helped alot with that."

"Dark, confined spaces. And yet, you're fine on the boat. Weird." Rinoa commented.

"You'll notice, I never close the bedroom door there. Plus, it's different. I can hear the water lapping against the hull, smell the sea, feel the movement of the boat. I never lose my sense of where I am, because I have that reference point that reminds me that I'm on the water, in my own space, and... safe." Squall explained.

"And when you're here?" she asked.

"You're here too. I can feel your warmth, hear you breathe, smell the shampoo you use on your hair..." he said softly, stroking the soft strands.

"But you still leave, when the nightmares hit you. I'll wake up sometimes and you'll be gone."

"I try not to wake you, and sometimes the really bad ones are hard to shake and I have to get up. It's...better... _safer_...that I not be touched if its one of those. I always come back." he said.

"Yeah," Rinoa sighed. "You do."

The darkness had lightened as they talked, and Rinoa could start to make out Squall's features. It was just on the edge of dawn. Before too much longer, she'd have to get up to get ready for work.

"What time is it?" she asked him.

Squall shifted and peered at the illuminated dial on his watch, then answered, "quarter of six. You've got about an hour still before you need to be up, if you're working today."

"I am," Rinoa confirmed.

"Well," Squall said, caressing her. "If you aren't tired..."

Rinoa snorted, "We just did that!"

"Mmm-hmm. And I'm more than willing, and able, to do it again." he replied huskily, bending down to kiss her. Then he drew back with a pained exclamation, and Rinoa tasted blood.

"Sorry, my lip's started bleeding again." he grumbled, getting out of bed and heading for the bathroom. Rinoa sighed, knowing the moment well and truly lost, and got up to follow him.

Joining him in the bathroom, she caressed his back, earning an apologetic glance from him before he resumed peering at his reflection while pressing a blood-dotted wad of tissue against his lip. Rinoa took a piece of tissue herself and wiped at the smear of blood he'd left on her lip.

"Put that lip balm on it when it stops bleeding." Rinoa suggested. Then she kissed his shoulder, adding, "meanwhile, I'm going to go ahead and shower and get ready for work."

"Alright," Squall said, voice muffled by the tissue. "I'll make coffee."

* * *

Squall considered simply going out to the kitchen au naturel to make the coffee, then remembered what had happened the _last_ time he'd done that. Deciding _not_ to trust fate this time around, he ruefully grabbed a robe that he'd left there, and put it on.

Padding barefooted into the kitchen, he was greeted by Angelo's soft whines as he started the coffeemaker. He checked her food and water dishes, and gave her a scoop of kibble, which she promptly started to eat.

"I'll take you out for a run in a little bit, sound good, girl?" he said, giving her a quick pat. Angelo looked up, still crunching on her kibble, wagged her stubby tail slightly, then stuck her nose back into her bowl.

Snorting in amusement, Squall returned to the bedroom and threw on a pair of shorts, a tee shirt, and started putting on his running shoes. It struck him as funny, how he'd started talking to the dog like it would understand him. Of course, Rinoa did that too. He was unconsciously mirroring the way she related to her pet. Having never had one himself, he'd simply followed her example.

Rinoa emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel with her hair wet, as Squall was tying his shoes.

He looked up and smiled, then swallowed as she dropped her towel and started to get dressed. Damned if he didn't want her _again_. Indeed, he hadn't stopped wanting her, despite the momentary derailment of their second go-round. It was a relief to know that he hadn't been damaged to any great extent by the blow he'd taken.

"Coffee's on. Should be done by now. What did you want for breakfast?" he asked.

Rinoa paused for a moment in her dressing, giving Squall time to appreciate what she'd managed so far, which at that point was only her undergarments. No suspenders and stockings this time, he noticed with some disappointment. That usually indicated that she intended to wear slacks.

"Toast? Jam?" she shrugged. "I have some yogurt and fruit too."

"Sounds good to me. I'll get that ready." he stood up to leave. Unable to resist temptation, he moved closer and kissed her, carefully. He couldn't stop touching her skin for long, tracing his fingers down her spine and stroking her cheek before he left her to continue dressing.

It took a minute to locate what she'd been talking about, but by the time she'd finished dressing, he had everything ready.

"You going for a run later?" Rinoa asked him as she accepted the cup of coffee he handed her. The toast popped out of the toaster a few seconds later and he handed her a couple of slices and put two in for himself.

"Yeah. Thought I'd take Angelo out for a little jog this morning."

"She'll love that," Rinoa said with a smile.

"She does. Took a bit of work with her to find a pace she could handle, and I kind of have to pay attention to her so she doesn't trip me up, but she does pretty well for the most part." he said.

"Doing anything else today?" Rinoa asked him.

"Might give Quistis a call. Just in case." Squall answered, sipping at his coffee. "I'll check in with Ellone too, see if maybe she wants to meet up for lunch or something."

Rinoa frowned, "Just in case?"

"Just in case." Squall repeated.

Rinoa sighed, but didn't comment further, instead saying, "say 'hi' to your sister for me. Make sure she knows she's welcome to spend the evening with us later."

Checking her watch, she finished drinking her coffee and stood up, looking for her purse. Squall stood too, setting his mug down, preparing to walk her to the door.

"I'd better..."

"I know. I saw the time." he said, slipping his hands around her waist and pulling her close.

Kissing her lightly, he said, "Hope you have a good day today."

"I hope you do too. I love you." she replied, kissing him back.

"I love you too."

* * *

After seeing Rinoa off to work, he took Angelo out for a quick jog, remembering the waste bags at the last minute and stuffing several into the pocket of his shorts. Stiff and sore from the previous day, he tempered his workout accordingly, starting out slow enough for the dog to take care of her business while he warmed up. Once he'd warmed up and stretched, and Angelo had taken care of what she needed to, he took off at an easy lope.

As usual, his mind wandered while he ran, heading down the pathway that had begun the previous night.

It was his own stupid fault that the subject of children had even come up, but now that it was out there, he began to really _think_ about it. He loved Rinoa with all his heart. He _absolutely_ wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Up until the previous night, that's _all_ he'd thought of.

It was arrogant and selfish of him to think that he'd have Rinoa all to himself for the rest of their lives, without considering what _she_ might want.

She'd said she wanted children, but had also been willing to give that up, if _he_ did not. Put on the spot in that moment, he couldn't give her a good answer on the subject.

So, then the question was: _did_ he want children? A family of his own?

He had Ellone. She was his only family. But she was right, she couldn't be _everything_ to him, and he was slowly realizing that. Rinoa gave him what Ellone could not; the opportunity to share _all_ of himself with another person. It was frightening at times, maintaining that openness with her, but he was learning that the more of himself he gave to Rinoa, the more of _herself_ she gave to him. It was a dynamic that he was still getting used to, but learning to appreciate.

Adding children to that dynamic would take some adjustment. It wasn't because he feared responsibility. He was no stranger to it; he had been in command of an entire SeeD force at one point in his life. But...a child was a completely different type of responsibility. One that he wasn't sure he was prepared to face.

The only thing he knew for certain was that he did not want to simply _sire_ a child. He wanted to actually _be_ there... Unlike his own father, who'd sired him and then simply disappeared.

He realized, intellectually, that his father might not have had a choice, given the circumstances of the time: Galbadia had been at war with Esthar and his father was in the Army. He might have been killed in action; however, that only offered a reason why Squall had ended up in an orphanage. It did not refute the fact that he had grown up without any real father figure to look up to or use as an example.

Headmaster Cid and his wife Edea were the closest thing to parents he'd had; and he'd had to share them with a hundred and more fellow cadets.

He truly had no clue, and that was an unknown that he wasn't sure he could handle. Not yet.

He wanted to get used to the whole idea of being _married_ first. Wanted to spend time building his life with Rinoa, building their lives _together_ , before taking the next step. He wasn't ruling it out _entirely_ ; he simply wanted to take the time to do whatever he needed to do to be ready for it. Read, study...whatever it took. He wanted to make sure he had _some_ kind of idea of what he was in for, if he decided to go down that road.

Once he was better informed, then he'd decide for himself if he was even cut out for fatherhood. He had doubts, but they were mainly based on vague assumptions and lack of information.

By the time Squall had started on his way back to Rinoa's apartment with Angelo, he had the beginnings of a plan, even if he didn't have a definitive answer as yet for Rinoa. Once he explained _why_ , he was fairly certain that Rinoa would understand.

He returned to the apartment, satisfied thus far with what he'd decided. Closing and locking the door behind him, he went into the bedroom and stripped, then headed for the shower.

After showering, he called Quistis first, and told her what had happened with Rinoa's father to get her perspective from a legal standpoint.

As he'd expected, Quistis told him that it could go either way; Caraway could have him arrested for assault, or Squall could press charges for kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment. It was truly an impasse, with no real witnesses to the entirety of the events, no one to reliably corroborate either person's story. The domestic staff, Quistis had explained, could not be relied upon to be truthful, as they would be fearful of losing their jobs or were simply being loyal to the general.

Rinoa had only seen Squall's retaliation, not what had precipitated it. And, sadly (a fact which did not surprise Squall in the slightest) it was very likely that Caraway had a great deal of influence with local law enforcement and the court system, both in terms of money and political association.

"I _do_ want you to come by my office though, as soon as you can. I want to get photographic evidence of your injuries, if you'd be kind enough to indulge me," Quistis said.

"My sister took pictures as she was tending to me, but the bruises are much more visible now than they were. If you think that'll help at all..." Squall said.

"I do. It may end up going nowhere, but it never hurts to document as much as possible straight away." Quistis said.

"All right then. See you in an hour?"

"I'll clear my schedule. Thank you."

His next call was to Ellone, to set up a time and place to meet her for lunch.

"Could you send me those pictures you took last night? I'm meeting with my lawyer this morning and wanted to show her what everything looked like right after." he requested.

"All right. Let me know what happens with that." Ellone replied.

"Probably nothing much. I'll explain all of that when we meet up later." Squall said.

"All right," Ellone sighed. "Sending the pictures now. Love you brother."

"Love you too sis, I'll see you later."

* * *

"This place is lovely," Ellone smiled, taking in the riot of flowers on the patio where they were seated. It was more like dining out in a garden than a cafe', and on the patio at least, was peaceful and serene. Surprisingly so, given how busy the café was during the lunch rush.

"Well, its a lovely day and the weather is nice. Thought you'd enjoy the flowers and the fresh air," Squall said, smiling back at her.

"Of course I do. As much as you obviously do." Ellone said.

Squall nodded acknowledgment, then asked her, "So, what do you want? Everything's good here, but they really excel at light fare like salads and the like."

"A salad sounds wonderful," Ellone said, studying the menu before making her choice.

Squall made his selection as well: a Reuben sandwich on rye bread, with slaw on the side. This café had a unique method of making their coleslaw that involved sweet onion vinaigrette and dried cranberries, and it was quickly becoming Squall's favorite.

Once their dishes arrived and they started eating, Squall asked her, "are you having fun so far? I'm sorry about last night, if I'd had any idea..."

"I know. Don't worry about it, it wasn't your fault. How are you feeling, anyway?" Ellone asked.

"Stiff. Sore. But, before you ask, _everything_ is fine."

"Everything?"

"Everything," Squall repeated firmly. "You can ask Rinoa if you don't believe me."

"Oh, I believe you," Ellone said, hiding a smile in her glass as she took a sip. "And it's good to know nothing was permanently damaged. I still have hopes of you making me an aunt at some point."

Squall frowned and asked, "funny you should say that. Rinoa and I sort of inadvertently discussed that last night."

"And?"

"She wants kids and I'm...undecided." Squall sighed, then added. " I was thinking about it earlier, and figured out that I'm completely clueless. I'm not ruling it _out_ , mind you, but...I want to get used to being _married_ first. Maybe read up on it or something. I don't know if I'm even cut out for fatherhood, you know? I've got...nothing to go on. No example, good or bad, to look at or model from. I grew up without a father, so I've got no idea of how to be one myself."

Squall looked away for a moment, toying pensively with his fork before adding in a low voice, "What the hell do _I_ know about that? I don't even know my own father's _name_..."

Ellone's expression softened, and she said, "I do. All you ever had to do was ask me Squall, if you wanted to know anything about him."

"I didn't want to know. What good would it do me?" Squall said dismissively. "To be honest, I never even thought about trying to find out; I was all about finding you. And when I did..."

"Nothing else mattered. I understand." Ellone nodded. "But, did you ever wonder why or how I ended up in Esthar in the first place?"

"No," Squall met her gaze, shaking his head. "I mean, I _did_ wonder a little, but...I suppose I just assumed you had gotten adopted and your family moved you there. It never occurred to me to _ask_ you."

"I was looking for him. Just like you were looking for me."

Squall froze, heart starting to pound. He didn't know if it was from fear, or excitement, or what...and he didn't want to ask if she'd found him or not. He didn't want to know... _did_ he?

Reaching out, Ellone took his hand and squeezed it gently in an effort to reassure him. "One of the reasons I came here to visit was to tell you that I'd found him. Your... _our_...father is still alive. His name is Laguna Loire."

"I remember..." Squall said in a faint voice, "You always called him Uncle Laguna...I never understood why."

"I called him that before he married your mother and adopted me. He said it was because he wasn't trying to take my real father's place. All this time," she said softly. "All this time, he's been alive and living in the same city as we were."

Squall didn't know what to think, or what to say. He simply stared at Ellone in shock.

"Why did you do that?" he whispered finally.

"I had to. Just like you had to look for me." Ellone's eyes teared up as she continued. "He was so happy to see me again. I told him about you...and he wants to meet you. If you're interested, that is."

"No." Squall said flatly and turned away. He had to get out of there. It was too much.

"Squall, please..." Ellone pleaded. "Just hear me out?"

He didn't want to hear it. He closed his eyes and swallowed. Why should it matter now? He was an adult, he could take care of himself. The existence of the father he'd never known should mean nothing to him. So why couldn't he simply pay the check and leave?

"Fine." he reluctantly agreed.

Ellone sighed in relief, and began, "I'm sure you were taught about the Esthar/Galbadian war, about twenty-five years ago, right?"

"Yes." Squall answered. "I know my...father... Was in the army. I thought he'd been killed in action."

"Well, it turns out that he wasn't"

Ellone continued the story:

Raine Leonhart was a cousin to Ellone's mother, and was close with her family. So close that they lived next door to each other in the little Galbadian town of Winhill. Nothing much happened in Winhill, until one fateful day found it in the path of Esthar's attempted invasion of Galbadia. In the fighting that followed, Ellone's parents were killed. Raine took her in and cared for her, adopting her as her own; fulfilling a promise she'd made to her cousin. That initial battle was won by Galbadia and Esthar was driven back, but many young men were wounded and the residents of Winhill, those who survived, helped out where they could.. though not all were happy about it.

Raine also had taken in and cared for a young sergeant named Laguna Loire, nursing him back to health. His recovery was a slow one, and it was months before he could return to active duty. In the meantime, he'd fallen in love with not only the young woman who'd nursed him but her adopted daughter as well. Eventually however, he had to return to active duty. They married before his unit left, and he formally adopted Ellone as his daughter the same day.

It was a long, hard war, and letters from Laguna were scarce. The last one came just before Galbadia's final push into Esthar, driving their invaders back to their homeland. Esthar however, was a much larger and more populous country than Galbadia, and the distance between them made it difficult to get supplies and personnel delivered to the units there. It was the same problem Esthar had, and had resulted in their being driven out of Galbadia. The action was an utter disaster, resulting in heavy losses to either side. Galbadia withdrew, and a grudging truce was declared.

But they never heard from Laguna again. While no official confirmation ever came, save that he was missing in action, as time passed, most people thought that he had died. Raine thought so as well.

Four months after hearing the news that her husband was missing and presumed dead, Raine gave birth to Squall, and died shortly afterwards from complications associated with childbirth.

With no one left to care for them, Ellone and her infant brother were taken to an orphanage in Centra, far from the war and its aftermath.

"What happened to Laguna then, if he wasn't killed?" Squall asked.

"That's _his_ story to tell, if you'd care to hear it from him..." Ellone began, but Squall cut her off.

"I don't." he said flatly. Ellone squeezed his hand again in reassurance.

"I think you need to hear it Squall. Even if you decide you don't ever want to meet him." Ellone said, then continued the story.

"He was taken prisoner, he and a couple of his comrades. He languished as a POW for five years while Galbadia's government did _nothing_ to try and free him and others like him. They were simply written off as lost. Eventually, he escaped, he and as many men as he could bring with him, and they joined a resistance faction that opposed Esthar's dictator, Adel." Ellone met Squall's eyes and told him quietly, "during the time that Esthar withdrew behind its walls, your father was working to try and free its people from Adel's oppression. He was instrumental in toppling her regime. He's a journalist now, and a hero to the people of Esthar. He still lives in Esthar City."

Squall simply sat quietly for several minutes after Ellone had finished, staring off into space while he absorbed...or attempted to... the information that his sister had revealed to him. So much was going on in his mind and heart at the moment that he had no idea _what_ he was feeling. So he sat in quiet numbness, unwilling to acknowledge everything that roiled beneath the surface. Pain, anger, feelings of betrayal, right along with a traitorous dash of joy, and hope.

"I know it's a lot to take in, Squall. I'm sorry I sprang this on you but... I did this for me, first. I loved him, he was my father too, even if it was only for just a short time." Ellone ventured softly, drawing his attention to her. "But I did it for you too. I wanted you to know who your father is, his name, family, everything. It's important."

"Did he...know about me? Ever?" Squall asked her hesitantly.

"No. I showed him a photo of you and...he recognized you right away as Raine's son." Ellone answered. "I know Raine had written him to tell him she was pregnant but..I don't think he ever got the letter."

"What did he do?" Squall asked.

"He burst into tears."

* * *

Rinoa knew something was up with Squall the minute she walked through the door that evening. For one thing, he didn't say anything to her, he simply walked up and wrapped her in a hug, holding her tightly. Almost...desperately. She let the moment be, knowing that he'd eventually tell her what was going on; he usually did.

Meanwhile, she simply held him, feeling his tension manifested in miniscule vibrations over the surface of his skin, that told her he was drawn as tightly as a bowstring. Eventually, he began to relax, though she could still feel the weight of some undefined emotion emanating from him.

Releasing her, he stepped back and asked her, "How was your day?"

"Busy, as usual but just routine stuff, no fires to put out today." She answered, then asked in kind, "Yours?"

"It was...interesting." he answered obliquely. "I'll tell you more about it later. Elle's going to be here in about an hour. I thought we'd just relax and ...visit a bit tonight. She's flying back to Esthar tomorrow morning."

Walking into the kitchen, he asked her, "Did you want some wine, or a beer or something?"

"Wine will do." Rinoa answered, frowning as he opened the refrigerator and took out a bottle of beer for himself, then opened a new bottle of wine and poured her a glass.

When he returned and handed her the glass, she asked him, "did you talk to Quistis?"

"Yes. And she told me pretty much the same thing you did." He answered, opening his beer and taking a sip.

"Which was?"

"Your father's influence would essentially trump any evidence that I could bring to bear, reducing the case to his word against mine."

Rinoa sighed, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm kind of relieved. Hanging out in a courtroom while all this gets hashed out is not my idea of a good time." Squall said. "That doesn't mean I'm giving up though, just tucking it aside for the moment while I work on my strategy."

Rinoa nodded. That did not surprise her; she'd already figured out that Squall was not the sort to just let things go.

"Is there anything else?" she asked. "You seem a bit.. Off. Is everything else okay?"

"I don't know." Squall answered.

"Do you...want to talk about it?" Rinoa asked him carefully. She didn't want to push but whatever was bothering him, it seemed to her, would be better shared.

Squall studied her for a moment, face expressionless. Rinoa hated when he did that, he was so hard to read when he put on his mask. She didn't think he did it deliberately; given how he was raised, _not_ revealing his every emotion was likely a defense mechanism. It was second nature to him.

He toyed with his bottle a moment, then took another sip. Sighing, he went over to the couch and sat down, putting his beer on the coffee table. Rinoa promptly joined him and took his hand, feeling heartened when he automatically laced his fingers through hers.

"Maybe," he finally answered in a low voice.

Studying their joined hands, he said, "you've been very... _respectful_...not to ask me about my father. I know you were curious, and have been for a long time."

"I know you were orphaned from birth. I didn't know how much, if anything, you knew about him. I didn't want to put you on the spot or make you feel uncomfortable." Rinoa said.

"You're right. I didn't know anything about him. Not even his name. But...Ellone did." Squall said. "I could have asked her before, if I'd wanted to but... I was mostly concerned with helping her get well. And...I didn't see any point to knowing. He was dead. What did it matter what his name was, his rank, what he'd done while in the army, what he looked like?"

"But it _does_ matter." Rinoa said softly. "He's part of you. Who you are."

"Yeah." Squall took a deep breath, then reached for his beer and took another sip.

"Elle and I had lunch today, and she told me the main reason she came to see me."

"Oh?" Rinoa asked. "Where'd you guys go?"

"The garden café by the hotel. You know the one." Squall answered.

"I do. It's a lovely place. So, what was her real reason for coming then, if not to just visit?" Rinoa asked, bringing the conversation back to the point.

"My father."

Rinoa frowned, and asked, "your father? What about your father?"

"She found him." Squall said. "Alive. He's been living in Esthar all this time..." his voice trailed off and Rinoa stared at him, now understanding Squall's distraction.

"He's...alive? How? Did he...know about you?" Rinoa stuttered, then wanted to kick herself for asking that question. If Squall's father had been aware of his existence and had simply not cared to try and find his son...learning that could be horribly painful for Squall.

"I told you he was a soldier, right?" at Rinoa's nod, he continued, "That's all I ever knew about him. Elle told me stuff, when we were kids, but... I thought they were just stories. I didn't think they were real; and she called him Uncle Laguna. I had no idea he was actually my father, she never said anything about that. His name, by the way, is Laguna Loire."

Glancing up and meeting Rinoa's concerned gaze, he added, "He didn't know about me. He was sent off to Esthar to fight just after he'd married my mother, and was taken prisoner. He was a prisoner of war for five years before he escaped. He never knew he had a son. Not until Ellone found him and told him."

"What do you want to do now?"

"I don't know." Squall shook his head. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. I mean, we _just_ had a discussion of possibly having children someday and...and I'm still trying to work through _that_."

Rinoa squeezed his hand again and leaned against him to offer her support. It was a lot to take in all at once, particularly for someone that had Squall's background and personality type.

"Well, we have time to figure that one out. I'm all for just being married for a while to see how that goes first." Rinoa said.

Squall gave a slight laugh and let go of her hand so that he could slip his arm around her waist and pull her close, kissing the top of her head and then leaning his against it.

"Funny," he said. "I was just thinking that same thing."

"Great minds..." Rinoa said, smiling.

"Yeah." Squall sighed quietly.

They both fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.

Then Rinoa said, "You can tell me to butt out of this, if you want. But if you want an opinion from me, then I'm going to suggest that you meet him. You can decide then if you want a relationship with him or not. It's totally up to you."

Squall studied her for a moment, then nodded, "Yeah."

"Meanwhile, I've already got an idea for dinner tonight, so you and your sister can just relax while I handle it."

"But.." Squall protested as she finished her wine and stood up.

Leaning down to kiss him, she said softly, "I love you. Now just relax."

* * *

_This is a mistake_ , Squall thought to himself for the hundredth time. _Why am I doing this? Why am I even here?_ He knew the answer but didn't want to dwell on it.

He fidgeted restlessly in the open air café where he'd had lunch with Ellone two weeks ago, fighting the urge to simply leave. The man was late. Not horribly so, only a couple of minutes, but...

Something (or, more accurately, _someone_ ) had compelled him to call the man that Ellone had told him was his father; she had given him Laguna's contact information with his blessing, in the hopes that he would. He truly had no idea what to expect from the man, but the upshot of that conversation was him eagerly offering to fly to Galbadia to meet him. Squall had had the sudden urge to flee to his island and hide instead, but he reluctantly agreed.

"I haven't seen Deling City in over twenty years. It'll be interesting to see how much has changed." he'd said.

Frowning, Squall checked his watch. The desire to leave was getting stronger. If Mr. Loire didn't show in the next few minutes...

"Mr. Leonhart?" a man's voice addressed him hesitantly, as if unsure of his identity.

Squall glanced up at the man who'd addressed him, then slowly stood and approached him.

"Mr. Loire?" he asked.

"Laguna, if you please." Laguna said quickly, smiling slightly in nervous relief and offering a handshake, which was coldly ignored. He truly had no idea what to expect from the young man who Ellone had told him was his son, but his initial impression was..intimidating.

Cool aquamarine eyes studied him from a face that was achingly familiar and yet...not. Long, copper-shot brown hair was pulled neatly back into a pony tail, and he was casually dressed in jeans and a black tee-shirt. A heavy silver chain with a pendant of a roaring lion glittered in the sunlight, as did the silver earring he wore. Part of a tattoo showed beneath the short sleeve of the shirt on his left arm.

Ellone had told him that Squall had been a SeeD; journalistic and personal curiosity had prompted him to research that and what he'd found out had been impressive, to say the least. What had impressed Laguna the most however, was the fact that Squall had made Commander at eighteen, then had the sense _and_ the resources to "retire" at twenty-two. And then use _all_ those resources to save Ellone's life.

His general build was virtually the same one that Laguna saw in the mirror every day; slightly taller perhaps, and definitely more muscular, but the length of leg and breadth of shoulder were _his_. As was sharp blade of a nose that his ...son...sported.

When the awkward silence stretched painfully, Laguna finally cleared his throat and gestured to the table.

"Coffee?" he suggested, hoping that would help break the ice.

Laguna couldn't help but feel a little gratified at the flicker of relief that crossed Squall's face. Intimidating or not, he'd probably been just as apprehensive about this meeting as Laguna had been.

Nodding silently, Squall returned to his seat and sat down.

He didn't bother mentioning that he'd already drunk two cups of coffee and was seriously considering something stronger. Coffee was good for a start at least.

"You look just like your mother," Laguna said, without thinking.

Squall didn't know what to say to that; he'd never seen any photos of her and she had no living relatives that he was aware of. He shrugged wordlessly instead.

A server offered a break in the tension and they placed their orders for coffee and lunch; neither had eaten, it turned out.

"Sorry about being late," Laguna tried again. "There was a bit of a traffic delay coming here from the airport." Looking around, he added, "Deling City _has_ changed quite a lot since I was last here."

"It happens." Squall said.

"Yes, it does." Laguna said quietly, staring intently into Squall's face. "Sometimes in the blink of an eye."

Tilting his head slightly and smiling, he asked, "how would you like me to address you, Mr. Leonhart?"

"Squall will do."

Their lunch orders arrived, and while they ate, Squall attempted to sort out the jumble in his mind and heart. Not a great conversationalist naturally, he was hard-pressed to think of anything to say. It was easier, he reflected ruefully, when he'd been a concierge out with a client. He was playing a role with a set "script", so conversation fell within the parameters of the character he was playing.

This was different; he had no idea _what_ role to play here, and with Rinoa he hadn't been anyone but himself with her from the start. It had been easy, because his feelings had been clearer. He'd wanted her, and had wanted to _know_ her. Who she was. Not so, with Laguna.

He'd been conflicted about meeting the man, and was still forming his opinion on him. He hadn't seen a photo of him, so didn't know what to expect with regards to his appearance. But he _had_ researched and read the articles and essays that he'd written over the last decade and a half. Curiosity had compelled him to search them out, and he had done so right along with Loire's biography.

He had found Laguna Loire, the journalist, to be an engaging, informative and entertaining writer. He'd enjoyed the travelogue pieces that he'd written early in his career, had become engrossed in his op-ed essays and had been riveted by the man's harder-hitting investigative reports.

In person, Mr. Loire turned out to be still fit and attractive at fifty-two; and he bore a far closer resemblance to him than Squall had thought. Not in hair color, which was black-going-silver, or eye color, which was a deep emerald green. But his general build, the shape of his nose, and the thick-lashed eyes that almost looked as though he was wearing eyeliner...Squall saw those features every time he looked in the mirror.

He was also far more likeable than Squall had thought he'd be.

"You're not terribly talkative, are you?" Laguna observed.

Squall shrugged in response, and Laguna laughed softly.

"Elle told me that conversations with you could be a little one-sided." What Ellone had _actually_ told Laguna was that having a conversation with her brother was frequently akin to pulling teeth. He'd thought she'd been kidding.

"You call her Elle too?" Squall asked.

Laguna nodded, "It was one of my pet names for her when she was little. I assume she told you why she referred to me as 'Uncle Laguna' ?"

"Yes."

"I barely recognized her," Laguna said wistfully. "Little Elle, all grown up, and so pretty. So strong. And still _here_ , thank Hyne, thanks largely to your finding her when you did. To think that I'd been living in the same city as her, and _you_ , and never knew it; would not have known at _all_ if she'd died." He shook his head.

Leaning forward slightly, Laguna added, "I had a lot of time to think about what I'd say to you, between when you called me and when I got here. Plenty of time to think of questions I wanted to ask, things I wanted to tell you. So many in fact, that before I knew it, I'd actually planned this out like an interview. Maybe if we approach it that way, it'll make this whole getting-to-know-you process a little easier for the both of us."

"All right." Squall agreed.

So that's what they did. Squall shouldn't have been surprised that Laguna had been able to put him at ease so quickly. He was a journalist; that was his _job_. At the end of it all, they both learned some surprising things about each other.

Laguna had returned to Galbadia as soon as he'd been able to, only to learn that his wife had died. He was never told how, or that he had a son. He'd replaced her grave marker with a nice marble plaque with her name on it, and arranged for its upkeep, before he returned to Esthar with a heavy heart.

Squall told Laguna about his early life in the orphanage and in Garden, and during the course of things, it came out that he was soon to marry Rinoa Heartilly, daughter of General Fury Caraway. The recent unpleasantness between them was mentioned in passing, which privately appalled Laguna. On multiple levels.

It wasn't an _easy_ interview, not by a long shot. Squall challenged him at every turn. But the end result was both satisfying and heartening, leaving Laguna with the hopes that they might establish a friendship of sorts, if the traditional father-son relationship was too late to cultivate.

Time flew, far faster than either of them were aware of, and the interview of necessity had to end.

"Thanks for meeting with me Squall, and letting me 'interview' you. I'd be more than happy to have another chat with you sometime." Laguna said, standing up and tossing some gil on the table. Enough, he hoped, to reward the patient, long-suffering waiter.

"You're welcome." Squall answered simply, doing likewise.

As they both walked out of the café together, Laguna said casually, "You know, as a journalist, curiosity is second nature to me. And, by virtue of your past profession, you... _know_ things. Things which, if revealed to the public, could be very damaging, even dangerous, to certain people."

"I'm aware." Squall said dryly. "I hope you aren't thinking I'll spill anything that shouldn't be. I'm not stupid."

"Not at all." Laguna hastened to clarify. "I already know there's no such thing as a _stupid_ SeeD. They tend to weed out _very_ early on. No, I was merely observing that, if you need an _insurance_ _policy_...I'd be more than willing to help you out."

Squall raised an eyebrow and said, "Let it be known that all the secrets I'm privy to will be made public if anything happens to me or...my family?"

" _Our_ family." Laguna corrected him firmly, ignoring Squall's frown. "And, yes."

"Dangerous. For _anyone_ holding those secrets." Squall said.

"No one would be _holding_ them." Laguna said. "Just think about it. If General Caraway knew his secret Black Ops projects would be exposed the minute _anything_ happened to you..."

"He might suddenly become very concerned about my continued well-being."

"Right."

Squall looked thoughtful, then nodded, "It has possibilities. I'll have to think about it."

"Don't overthink it. I've been around long enough, and I've _seen_ enough, to know that sometimes, sooner is better than later. _Later_ can sometimes be too late." Laguna said seriously.

"I know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One step closer to the end. And yes, there IS an end in sight.. not long now, stick with me and we'll all find out together what happens next.. but loose ends are tying up so... enjoy!


	30. Chapter 30

"So, everything's pretty much done," Squall said, leading Irvine and Zell along the jungle path to his new home base. New _home_ , actually.

"What's left to do?" Zell asked curiously.

"Clean up mostly, and moving Rinoa's stuff in." Squall answered.

"You haven't done that yet? Dude, the wedding's _today_!" Zell exclaimed.

"I couldn't get anything shipped over until today," Squall answered.

Irvine snorted, "leaving it 'til the last minute? That's not like you."

"I wanted it to be a surprise. Selphie helped me out with that by throwing a bachlorette party for Rinoa and keeping her occupied all night. I got some movers to come in and pack everything up and ship it over here. By the time the wedding's over and we make it back here, everything will be ready." Squall replied.

"I can't wait to see it," Zell said eagerly. Irvine nodded.

While the home's construction had not been a secret, they'd only seen it in it's various stages of construction; they had yet to see it as a completed whole.

It had been a massive undertaking, dealing with the monsters while setting up the infrastructure, building the house, and putting up the security fencing and barriers around its immediate vicinity. Everything was mostly done, barring a few minor details, such as adustments to the seismic monitors and the communications array on the top of the mountain.

There were still technicians wandering about, so they still had to have security crew to protect them. The monitoring station was located behind security fencing as well, not far from the home itself.

They rounded a bend in the path and the sound of falling water greeted them.

"You built next to the waterfall?" Irvine asked.

"Yeah. That had been my plan from the start." Squall answered.

"So you get _this_ ," Zell gestured to the water fall, the pool beneath it and the luxuriant, native foliage that surrounded it. "In your backyard."

"Yes. And I can see it from anywhere in the home." Squall said, gesturing toward the home itself.

Irvine whistled appreciatively. "Dude. I might just have to crash your honeymoon. Would you mind having houseguests?"

"Some other time, Irvine." Squall said with a snort.

"So, has Rinoa seen the finished product yet?" Zell asked.

"No. I haven't had a chance to show her anything but photos from my phone. But don't worry, she'll love everything about this place. I had her help me pick out the flooring, design the bedrooms, paint...all of that." Squall said.

"You know, there's still plenty of monsters to hunt out here too." Irvine said. "It's a lot safer than it was, but there are enough critters out there to make a camping trip interesting."

"Is that a hint?" Squall asked.

"Well, if you get bored, I've got another group I'm taking on a hunt in a few weeks.." Irvine suggested.

"I might take you up on that," Squall said.

They all stood back for a moment, studying the structure in silence, before Squall took out his key and unlocked the door.

"You know, I never figured you for the 'big house on the hill' type," Irvine said, gazing around the as yet empty home.

"That's because I never mentioned anything to anybody about stuff like that. Why bother when my life plan according to SeeD was to die on a job sometime before I reached age thirty?" Squall replied.

"Yeah, true enough." Irvine said.

"One reason why they never say anything about retirement." Zell commented. "You know that you're the only SeeD I know that's actually managed it? Most of 'em just die, if not in action, then afterward. Particuarly if things go bad."

"I know." Squall said. The number one _non_ -combat related killer of SeeDs was sadly, suicide.

"But this," Irvine said, indicating the soaring, light-filled room, "Does _not_ look like the home of someone planning to eat a bullet any time soon."

"No, it doesn't." Zell agreed.

Squall led them through the house, which still had odd bits of construction debris here and there. A professional cleaning service had been engaged to clear it out; they were due to arrive within the hour. It was beautifully spacious, airy and filled with light, with a loft master bedroom that had an outdoor balcony leading off of it. Native wood flooring, made from the trees that they'd had to fell in order to build the house, gleamed on the floors and added warmth to the still empty structure.

After touring the house, they left and headed to where the technicians were still working. There was security of course, to help protect them, but Squall wanted to make sure everyone finished up what they were doing and headed for home. He wanted the island to himself for the next few days.

He wasn't sure what still needed to be done, but he vaguely remembered one of the technicians saying something about adjusting the broadcast power of the radio transmitter, so he led Irvine and Zell to the monitoring station. All of the communications equipment was set up there, so that there would be a constant feed of info on the stability of the mountain/volcano.

They had just rounded a bend, headed for the station when they heard shouts and a scream, then a rapid tattoo of gunshots.

Exchanging an alarmed look with Irvine, Squall whipped out his gunblade and sprinted toward the sounds, Zell and Irvine following. Clicks sounded from their direction as they loaded and cocked their weapons.

"What the hell? I thought the barrier fence would keep out the nasties?" Zell asked, frowning.

"Me too," Squall said grimly. "Sounds like something's gotten through."

"What though? And how? Those fences are pretty sturdy," Irvine said breathlessly as they ran toward the source of the screams.

"We'll find out soon enough," Squall replied.

Whatever had gotten through the barrier fence, would have to be dealt with. Depending on what it was, and how it had happened, Squall might have to rethink having his and Rinoa's honeymoon on the island until the breach was addressed. And he was satisfied that there would not be another.

It wasn't just about him anymore; there was Rinoa now to consider. And he would _not_ put her at risk if he could possibly avoid it.

* * *

Squall pounded along the path, mind racing with possible scenarios. He already knew it was some sort of monster attack. What _kind_ of monster however, was his main concern. It was the wrong territory for Grendels, fortunately; they preferred the grasslands at the center of the island where he'd had to build the helipad.

_That_ phase of construction had been more than a little dicey. Grendels were notoriously territorial.

The dense forest was home to other creatures though, some just as deadly as the Grendels, and a lot harder to find and eradicate. They'd thinned the numbers down on many of the creatures, enough that the island wasn't nearly as dangerous as it had been, but it was by no means _completely_ safe. It was simply brought closer to the same level of risk that one would experience at any forest on the mainland.

It was an acceptible level, and one that would continue to improve with the adventure hunts that Irvine, and himself when he had time, would lead to keep the numbers of the more dangerous beasts in check. The end goal was to eliminate entirely the non-native creatures that occupied the island, allowing native predators like bears and panthers to reclaim their historic territories.

It took mere heartbeats for Squall to assess the situation and launch his attack when he finally rounded a bend and found the source of the uproar. Two of the technicians were backed up against a rock outcropping in a clearing at the base of the mountain. A security guard was with them, and he was holding off, barely, a tri-face and two anacondaurs.

The technicians had obviously been on their way down from the summit, heading home after making some adjustment or another to the scientific arcana that was arranged up there. It was just sheer bad luck that the two young women had been attacked just outside the barrier, on their way to the boat that would have taken them home. One anacondaur or even two might have been easily handled by the security guard escorting them, but the tri-face as well was too much.

"Hold fire!" Squall shouted as he raced to the rescue, gunblade ready, and used his momentum to cleave through the neck of one of the anacondaurs, killing it instantly.

His precipitous attack got the attention of the tri-face, which launched itself at him with a snarl. Squall danced aside, parrying the snapping jaws, all _three_ of them; while Irvine and Zell, having caught up with him, finished off the remaining anacondaur.

Squall focused his attention intensely upon the tri-face; it was fast and aggressive, and hell-bent on taking a piece out of him. _Several_ pieces, in fact. Squall was just as interested in thwarting the creature's intent.

The monster paused for a moment and crouched, snarling deep in its chest while its tail lashed back and forth, then it leaped forward in another attack. A vicious slash at one of the monster's faux heads made it squeal in pain as its attack was deflected. Gunshots sounded from Irvine's and Zell's direction, striking the monster and wounding it. Then it reared up, clawed front legs slashing at Squall as it snaked its head forward, snapping from side to side in an effort to get past his guard. Bio-toxic drool dripped from its jaws as it did, and the droplets spattered _everywhere_. Careful as he was, Squall was unable to avoid them all and he felt the burn where the poison struck him.

Growling in angry frustration, Squall redoubled his attacks, hacking and slashing at the tri-face and taking out the other faux head, backing it up with each slash. The monster roared, then charged again, pausing to belch out a glob of slimy, caustic, bio-toxic acid at him.

Fortunately, Squall saw it in time and dodged, then rushed at the thing and slashed at its remaining head. It ducked the attack however, and struck back as quick as a snake, fastening its teeth into his right shoulder. It pulled him off his feet and shook him like a dog with a toy.

Squall yelled in pain as he was jerked back and forth by the monster, maintaining his grip on his gunblade by sheer will alone. Darkness began to creep into his vision, and he fought grimly to remain conscious enough to ram his gunblade into the base of the monster's neck with his left hand and pull the trigger. It took all of his fading strength, and he wasn't sure he'd managed a mortal shot, not with the black spots before his eyes getting larger and threatening to blind him entirely . The monster jerked when the gunblade went off and slumped, dead instantly, but the damage was done.

"Squall!" voices calling his name, from a great distance. His vision had already faded to black, and his hearing was going too.

"Squall hang on!" he heard, as he drifted.

The monster's teeth were still embedded deep into his shoulder and upper chest, the poison introduced directly into his blood...which was flowing, too freely, from the wound. Pain burned like tongues of flame licking down his shoulder, creeping inexorably down his arm, across his chest, up his face. He had a moment of clarity, thinking that the creature's bio-toxin worked much more effectively when injected directly into the bloodstream. He wondered how long it would take to kill him, and if it would hurt or if the numbness, which was spreading from the site of the injury, would take over first.

"Well...shit..." Squall mumbled, losing consciousness.

* * *

"Rise and shine Rinny!" Selphie announced loudly, prompting Rinoa to groan and burrow her head back into the pillow.

"No." she grumbled, squeezing her eyes shut to wait out the nausea and headache.

"Now, now, now," Selphie admonished, wagging her finger. "We have a spa appointment this morning, remember? We have no _time_ for hangovers!"

"Speak for yourself." Rinoa said. _Why_ had she let Selphie talk her into doing firaga shots? Her stomach _still_ felt like it was on fire, and her head was splitting in two.

"Hah!" Selphie scoffed. "I've had more to drink than you and I'm still up and functioning. You can do this!"

"That's because you're a freak of nature."

"Yeah, well, this _freak_ is going to get you to that spa and get you looking fan-freaking-tastic for your wedding today if she has to drag you there by your toes!" Selphie declared, arms crossed firmly across her chest.

"Knock yourself out." Rinoa said, licking at her dry lips.

"Here," Selphie said taking pity on her current state and handing her a glass of something that fizzed suspiciously. "Drink it. It'll help, I promise."

"All right," Rinoa said, doing as directed. Whatever it was tasted awful but did the job.

Stomach settled and headache fading, she finally felt human enough to get up and get dressed.

"This is going to be so _fun_!" Selphie crowed excitedly. "I mean, it's nothing like the spa weekend _you_ had, but it's still awesome and I can't wait!"

"Well, if nothing else, it'll repair the damage we did last night," Rinoa sighed, studying her reflection in the mirror with a grimace.

"Oh, it'll do more than that! You'll look and feel like a million gil when we're done!" Selphie said.

Under the circumstances, Rinoa had her doubts, but she _was_ starting to feel a _little_ more human, so anything was possible. It was with that thought in mind that she and Selphie drove to the spa, meeting Quistis and the rest of her bridesmaids there. All of Rinoa's bridesmaids, including Selphie and Quistis, had been invited to the spa as part of their bridesmaid's gift.

A morning spent in a spa being thoroughly pampered _was_ in fact exactly as restorative as Selphie had said it would be, and in the end, Rinoa was glad of it. The final result was a half-dozen glowing, smiling bridesmaids and one stunning, radiant bride.

They all arrived at the Galbadian Hotel in plenty of time to dress and put finishing touches on Rinoa's trousseau and the bridesmaids' dresses. Selphie was a dervish of nervous energy, flitting hither and yon as she nattered on about the flowers, the cake, the bar...Squall had virtually insisted upon an open bar (for the sake of the groomsmen, he'd said). Rinoa had her reservations about that, given that a large number of Squall's invitees were SeeDs. She had been assured that they would be on their best behavior, drunk or not.

She supposed a few drunken SeeDs should be the least of her worries; family dynamics would likely take center stage whether they wanted them to or not. Squall's father and his sister would be in attendance, as would _Rinoa's_ father...a fact that left her a little apprehensive.

It had been a complicated, fraught decision for Rinoa, to permit her father to attend. What bothered her the most about it was Squall's complete shutdown when she told him. He did not get angry or question her reasoning, he simply nodded, face expressionless.

She hated when he did that. It actually worried her a little.

Of course, her father's attendance to the nuptials was contingent upon his being civil to the groom-to-be...and keeping his distance. Mainly, for his safety; Rinoa wasn't entirely sure that Squall wouldn't kill her father if he perceived him to be a threat.

"You need something blue." Selphie declared as she fastened the row of tiny buttons that marched up the back of Rinoa's dress.

"And something borrowed," Quistis chimed in, removing a hairpin from her coiffure and tucking it into an unobtrusive spot in Rinoa's hair.

"Thank you, both of you." Rinoa smiled at their reflections in the mirror facing her. Touching the silver ring that adorned the chain she wore around her neck, she added, "I already have something old."

"And for something new?" Selphie asked, casting about with a frown. "I had it just a minute ago... Ah! Here it is!"

Pouncing on a small, wrapped box, she handed it to Rinoa, saying, "Ok, so I think this covers it."

Rinoa opened the box and gasped, "Selphie this is lovely!"

It was a delicate platinum bracelet, which Selphie lifted off of its bed of black velvet and fastened around Rinoa's right wrist. The serpentine chain settled around her wrist like tiny metal snake, glittering like quicksilver. Rinoa twitched her hand, making the bracelet slither around her wrist with a soft, metallic clink.

Selphie was frowning in concentration as she studied the bracelet distratctedly, lips pursed in thought.

"We still need something blue," she said.

"Squall's eyes are blue," Rinoa said.

"Kind of," Selphie snorted. "They're sort of aquamarine...there's a definite greenish cast to them."

"They look blue to me," Quistis chimed in with a shrug,

"Okay, so they're blue." Selphie flung her hands up in frustration. "That doesn't change the fact that you have to be _wearing_ said blue item. I don't think you're going to want to pluck out your almost-husband's eyes to wear like earbobs to your wedding!"

Rinoa wrinkled her nose at the thought, saying, "No, you're right about that. They look much better in his head, where they belong."

"How about this?" Quistis asked, taking a small, brilliantly blue flower out of a nearby arrangement, trimming off the stem and tucking it into Rinoa's hair, securing it with the bobby pin that she'd given Rinoa earlier.

Selphie clapped her hands enthusiastically. "Perfect!"

"Great," Quistis said dryly. "Now we only have to wait..." she checked her watch briefly. "...two and a half more hours for the wedding to begin."

"Well, better to be early than late." Selphie said with a shrug. "I mean, there's still tons of things to do. The caterers are still due to arrive, and so is the DJ."

"I wonder if Squall's here yet," Rinoa said.

"I doubt it. It's not like he's got to do anything but stand in the right spot and say 'I do' at the right time." Selphie shrugged.

"I'm sure he'll be on time," Quistis said.

"Yeah," Rinoa said, biting her lip. He'd been on his island the last three days, "finishing up a few things" he'd said. He'd sounded pretty positive that they were making headway on the monster population, but Rinoa still worried about him. _Anything_ could happen.

"Meanwhile," Selphie was saying confidently, cutting through Rinoa's vague worries. "You can just chill out here and keep looking gorgeous. We got this."

* * *

He was on fire. The burning seemed concentrated in his right shoulder, and was eating through his body. Surely, his entire arm and upper chest were blackened ash by now. Maybe his arm was just bones and crispy flakes of burned skin, cracking and falling off, drifting away on the wind like winter-killed leaves. Maybe he was _all_ bones, his flesh consumed by the fire that raged within him.

He was pretty sure he wasn't dead yet. He felt too shitty to be dead.

Something thick and foul tasting flooded his mouth and he tried to spit it out, thinking it was more of the poison that was currently searing through him. Then something grabbed his nose roughly, cutting off his ability to breathe and forcing him to swallow.

He coughed, gagging, trying to reject the noxious fluid.

A voice growled, "You'd _better_ not throw that up! This is the only shit you got that works on poison."

_Oh, right. The tri-face_. A memory came to him then, and he managed to crack open his eyes.

"You'd _better_ not have pissed on me again," he mumbled, trying on his best death glare. Unfortunately, it ended up more like a death- _squint_.

"Serve you right if I did," Irvine said tartly. "If you've got cold feet, bro, there are better ways of getting out of the wedding than killing yourself."

Squall frowned, then groaned as a wave of burning pain hit him. The healing elixir that Irvine had given him was working, but slowly. The waves of nausea were subsiding but his right shoulder, upper chest and arm still throbbed hot agony.

"Fuck you," Squall growled, shifting uncomfortably, then swearing loudly and inventively as the movement jarred his injured arm.

"Yeah, you _might_ not want to move too much," Zell said.

Squall subsided with a sigh, closing his eyes. He went over the preceding events mentally, acknowledging that he _might_ have rushed in a little too boldly. He'd thought that the momentum behind him would add power to his attack, but had not considered the monster's agility. He should have been more careful. He'd wanted to conclude the fight quickly so he could go home to...

A stab of panic hit him. How long had he been out? He opened his eyes again and brought up his left arm to check his watch, but had difficulty focusing on the dial, between his intermittent dizziness and throbbing headache.

Closing his eyes again, he cursed softly and asked, "What time is it?"

Irvine and Zell exchanged a glance and Irvine cleared his throat, answering, "Um, its uh, 2:30."

"WHAT?" Squall leaped upright...or rather, he _tried_ to. He found that he was unable to move, though the waves of pain that washed over him at his attempt to do so momentarily blinded him and left him feeling weak, dizzy and sick all over again.

He felt as though a lead weight was resting on his upper chest, and when he opened his eyes and rolled his head over to look, discovered that it wasn't a lead weight, it was Zell.

"What are you...?" Squall began. He could feel a cold sweat starting, but couldn't tell if it was from the poison's effects or from the pain. At the moment, it didn't really matter which it was.

"Dude, you were bleeding to death. If the poison didn't kill you first, _that_ would have. I'm applying pressure to slow the bleeding down while the healing elixir does its work." Zell answered him seriously.

"We need to go. I've gotta get back..." Squall said, closing his eyes again and licking at his dry lips.

"Yeah, we know. The wedding's in two hours. But we can't move you yet, not until the bleeding stops." Zell told him.

"Fuck."

"Don't worry man, we'll get you there if we have to carry you." Irvine said.

"You might have to," Zell said grimly.

"Get me to the boat." Squall said. "Use the motor. Irvine can steer it, I showed him how."

"Well, don't do anything _yet_ ," Zell said testily. "Let me check to see if the bleeding's slowed down at least!"

Squall reached out and grabbed Zell's shirt with his left hand, pulling him close and growling, "Get. Me. To. The. Boat!" Letting go, he lay back and closed his eyes, panting, "I'm _not_ missing my fucking wedding!"

"All right," Zell said, then took a peek at the dressing he'd been pressing into the wound, sighing with relief when he confirmed that the bleeding had stopped and the healing process was already well underway. Meeting Irvine's eyes, he nodded.

"Right. Up you go then!" Irvine said, grabbing Squall's left wrist. Squall gripped Irvine's wrist in turn and slowly managed to sit up...and was chagrined to realize that he'd needed far more help to do so than he thought he would. In fact, it had taken Irvine hauling on his wrist, with Zell supporting and pushing with his hand carefully placed between Squall's shoulderblades, to get him sitting upright.

The black spots had returned, obscuring his vision, and he had to sit for a minute to regroup. The pain literally took his breath away. He swore under his breath in angry frustration.

Zell was fussing with the injured shoulder in some way that was _extremely_ uncomfortable, and he snapped, "What the hell are you doing? Hyne's ballsack that fucking _hurts_!"

Zell ignored Squall's irascible comment and answered calmly, "I've got to immobilze your arm. So I'm going to bandage the injury and put it in a sling. Don't fucking move for a minute or I'll knock you out."

"Oh." Gods, he felt like shit. Zell wouldn't have to hit him too hard to knock him out; he was on the verge of passing out anyway.

"That healing potion's taking a long time to work." Irvine said, sounding worried.

"It was a serious injury. With poison on top of it. Plus, I think his scapula's broken. It's going to take a lot longer than usual to heal _that_." Zell said.

Tying the dressing in place and improvising a sling, Zell studied the results and pronounced, "Okay, that should do it. Let's go."

Slowly, carefully, with much grunting, groaning and swearing, they got Squall onto his feet. Zell, as the shortest as well as strongest, tucked his shoulder underneath Squall's armpit and wrapped one arm around his waist, supporting him.

As they started walking, slowly, Irvine said, "I've got your backs." A soft click sounded from behind them as he cocked his rifle.

"At least you didn't panic this time," Squall said.

"Yeah well, I remembered how unappreciative you were of my life-saving efforts _last_ time." Zell answered wryly. Squall snorted softly. Zell hid a smile, feeling better. If Squall was managing to see even a _little_ humor, then things were improving.

"Where'd the technicians go?" Squall asked. The two women and the security guard that he'd rushed in to save were nowhere to be seen.

"They're okay. We told them to go on home. They couldn't do much to help us anyway, and we already knew what to do." Zell answered. "Glad you spent the extra money on the Remedy Plus elixir this time around. It's exactly what you needed."

"Shit tastes worse than the poison did." Squall grumbled.

"It works though. You're upright and still breathing. I'll take that as a good sign."

Squall had to agree, however crappy he currently felt, it was a definite improvement over how he'd felt several minutes prior. He was by no means completely healed however, as evidenced by his still-spinning head and weaving, drunken progress that he and Zell made through the forest path to the new quay where his boat was docked.

It was a little tricky getting onto the boat, as Squall was still none too steady on his feet, but they managed it. Zell installed him in the bow, propped against the cabin and padded by cushions from the bench in the main room.

Leaning back heavily against them, then shifting uncomfortably as pain stabbed through him, Squall closed his eyes again, wanting nothing more than to sleep for a week. He drifted in greyness instead, while the sounds of Zell and Irvine casting off and starting up the engines washed over him.

It took an hour via sail to reach the mainland, but under power, they'd get there in about half that. It should give him time to get ready, though how he'd manage the shower he wasn't sure. He _needed_ one; Zell or Irvine had cleaned the bio-slime off of him, but he could still _smell_ it. He knew he'd feel better for having had one, though he wondered about how he'd manage with the dressing on his shoulder. Perhaps the wound would have healed enough by then that it wouldn't pose as much of a problem as he feared.

The wedding however... The way he was feeling now had him wondering if he could endure it. He'd do his best though; even if he passed out midway through, at least he'd _be_ there. If Zell was right and his scapula _was_ broken, then it could take up to a week or more to heal, even with the healing potion he'd bought. He'd have to be careful, though there was no point in hiding what had happened to him from Rinoa. If nothing else, she'd know as soon as they started the honeymoon.

Lulled by the motion of the boat on the water, Squall passed from greyness into black as he fell asleep.

* * *

Hands patting his face finally brought him up from the warm darkness of sleep, and he blinked at Zell's concerned expression.

"Well, you're still alive at least." he said. "Feeling any better?"

Squall shifted and grimaced in pain. The nausea had settled mostly, but a treacherous shift in his midsection told him that an unwise move would _not_ improve things. At all.

"I'm stiff. Sore. And I feel like I might puke if I make one false move." Squall leaned back against the cushions, then asked, "is it just me or is it hot? Or maybe cold. I don't know..."

Zell frowned and brushed his fingers over Squall's forehead, wiping away sweat. "You're fevered."

"I need a shower." Squall declared. "Help me up."

"Wait." Zell said, pushing him gently back when he leaned forward to try standing. Gently checking the injury, he sighed with relief to see that the potion had done its work well. The bite had scabbed over cleanly, appearing half-healed. It should be safe to shower, though Zell would have to re-dress the wound. The fever worried him though. It meant that Squall's body was having a reaction to something.

The elixir _was_ working however; if it wasn't, he'd be dead by now. He wondered if he should give Squall another dose of it before they headed to the wedding.

"All right. Come on," Zell said, grabbing Squall's good wrist and pulling him to his feet.

Looking around, Squall was relieved to see and hear the sights and sounds of his home slip at the docs in Deling City. The throbbing pain in his shoulder had subsided somewhat, so obviously the injury was well on the way to being healed.

He wasn't entirely sure how he'd manage the shower, but he'd do his best. Even if he couldn't, the shower was far too tiny for anyone to help...and while he'd showered in communal dorm and gym facilities in the company of other men before with no qualms, it _did_ somewhat stretch the limits of what a groom should expect of his best man.

At least he was functional enough that Zell wouldn't be required to assist with his personal hygiene. He hoped.

Tucking himself under Squall's arm again, Zell helped Squall negotiate the few meters from the bow to the cabin's door, calling out to Irvine, "Hey, Irvine? Why don't you head out to our hotel and get our duds? We'll just get ready here."

"Will do," Irvine said, tying off the last of the lines before heading forward.

Reaching into his pocket- and swearing pungently when pain momentarily blinded him at the injudicious use of his injured right arm-Squall, pale and sweating, said, "take my truck. Keys are in my pocket."

He leaned heavily on Zell, breathing hard and fighting another bout of nausea as Irvine did as he'd asked. The deck suddenly looked like a really good place to be right then.

"Dude, you look..." Irvine began.

"Don't care." Squall said. "Just go get your stuff and get back here."

"At least you hired a limo for the trip to the hotel ballroom and back," Zell commented.

After Irvine left, Zell said, "C'mon bro. Let's do this."

They made their way into the cabin and to the head. Much to Squall's chagrin, Zell had to help him undress and do alot of other things as well. In fact, Squall needed far more help than he'd thought he would.

At least he managed to stand upright in the damn shower.

* * *

"Nervous Rin?" Quistis asked her, sounding amused.

"Why, no, not at all, why do you ask?" Rinoa replied, voice sounding high and strained. She shook her head, realizing it was no good trying to bluff it out.

"Because it's either that or you feel the need for an aerobic workout just prior to your wedding, and have decided to do laps in the dressing room." Quistis answered.

Flopping down on a settle with a sigh, Rinoa said, "Yes, I'm nervous. I don't know why, I love Squall to death and I'm absolutely thrilled to be marrying him but..."

"Hey, I get it, this is a big deal for the both of you. I'm pretty sure Squall feels the same way." Quistis answered, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Has anyone seen him? Is he here yet?" Rinoa asked plaintively. She missed him desperately and even if they couldn't see each other yet, wanted to know _he_ was okay as well.

Selphie shook her head, "No, no one's seen him. And he _should_ be here by now, the rat. He'd better at least be in Deling City or I'm gonna..."

"You will _not_ harm my husband to be!" Rinoa said firmly. "I need him completely intact for later. So _no_ threats of bodily injury, _if_ you please."

Selphie and Quistis both laughed, and Rinoa smiled, feeling somewhat better. He wasn't _late_ precisely, but Squall really _should_ have at least arrived at the hotel by now...

"I'm gonna go check on things," Selphie said, heading for the door. "I'll let you know if Squall turns up."

"Thanks, Selphie." Rinoa said.

Casting about for a distraction, she asked Quistis, "Anything new with your love life Quistis?"

Quistis snorted, "absolutely nothing. Too busy, which isn't altogether a _bad_ thing..."

"No," Rinoa said slowly."It isn't, but you _do_ need to take some time out for yourself on occasion."

"I know." Quistis said. "Maybe I'll take a vacation to Esthar or something."

Rinoa gave her a wicked grin and a wink, "I know a great place..."

Quistis burst out laughing, and said between giggles, "Damn you! If you ruin my makeup I'm taking back my hairpin!"

Selphie returned with a progress report, saying, "Well, the priest guy is here, the ballroom is ready, all the flowers have arrived, the caterers are here and setting up, and so is the DJ. Everything's on schedule and will be ready to go in T- minus ninety minutes and counting."

"Ninety minutes?" Rinoa groaned. "I thought we were closer than _that_!"

"Well, looks like there might be enough time for a game of Triple Triad," Quistis suggested. "Do you have a deck with you, Selphie?"

"I do!" she replied enthusiastically. Pulling a small end table over, she sat down next to Quistis on the couch and lay down a playing mat. Quistis pulled a deck of her own out of her clutch purse.

"Guys? I don't have a deck with me." Rinoa said.

"Don't worry, Selphie and I will split our decks with you, won't you?" Quistis said.

"Yeah." Selphie agreed, and both shuffled their cards and then dealt out a portion of each deck, facedown, until she had a number of cards equal to what each held.

"Don't worry about whose cards are whose," Quistis said. "We'll just randomly count 'em back."

"Okay." Rinoa said with a shrug. She wasn't all that great at cards, but Triple Triad was a fun game, and it _did_ pass the time.

It wasn't too long before Quistis checked her watch and announced, "well then, I guess it's time to get ready to go."

Rinoa looked up as a thrill of happy, nervous anticipation rocketed through her. It was _really_ happening. In just a few minutes, she'd walk out to the hotel's garden where the altar had been set up and see Squall there waiting for her. She couldn't wait to see the the expression on his face when he saw her.

Suddenly there was a flurry of activity as everyone checked their makeup and hair, with Selphie fussing over her and Quistis being calmly reassuring by contrast. The other bridesmaids retrieved their bouquets, formed an orderly queue, and, ushered by Selphie as Maid of Honor/shepherdess, left the room, with Rinoa bringing up the rear.

The sequence of events that would follow would have her waiting out of sight until the musical cue came for her to make her appearance. Her father would _not_ escort her down the aisle. She would not permit it and he was too proud to ask. She couldn't _completely_ cut him off, but she also wouldn't involve him in the ceremony either.

Perhaps in time they would repair the rift in their relationship, but it would take a _lot_ of work.

She was distracted from her bittersweet reflections by the musical piece that she was listening for.

Taking a deep breath, she straightened her spine and raised her head high. Gripping her bouquet in both hands, she took another deep breath and stepped forward, walking with measured steps toward the flowered archway that marked the beginning of the aisle that would terminate at the altar, and her future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the final chapter of What Happens in Esthar...part 1. There was a LOT in this Chapter and when I finally got done writing it (an epic journey in itself, I assure you, what with having my ENTIRE LIFE tossed into a giant box, shaken up and dumped at my feet to sort out), I ended up with over 10,000 words. I toyed with the idea of posting it in its entirety, but instead decided to split it in half. Good, bad or indifferent, I figured a shorter chapter would at least be less boring. Hopefully anyway.
> 
> I do hope that it DOESN'T bore you though. Anyway, despite the challenges, it IS finished. Here's the first part of it...enjoy!


	31. 30B

Showering, shaving and dressing presented a whole new challenge to Squall, who was reduced to only one functional arm. He _could_ move the other arm...if he wanted to be prostrated by the pain and nausea that resulted.

Still, he managed the shower, barely. But shaving...

Squall stared at razor he held in his left hand, wishing he'd gotten an electric one instead. Less chance of mishap, and much easier to use left-handed.

"Hey man, you need any help in there...whoa!" Zell poked his head in and shied back at seeing Squall standing naked in the tiny bathroom.

Squall simply glared at him. It was damn near impossible to wrap a towel around himself with one hand. He'd managed drying, but anything else was beyond him.

"I could use some, yeah." Squall grumbled.

Zell was already dressed in his tux and vest combo, hair neatly combed. He looked the epitome of class and style, while Squall... Did not.

"All right." Zell said. "Take a seat."

Squall did as directed with a sigh, reaching over and closing the lid on the commode, then dropping the towel on top of it before he sat down. Once he did, he grabbed the edge of the towel and flipped it over his lap to spare Zell's delicate sensibilities. Zell snorted in amusement at this, but declined to comment otherwise.

"I'll need you sitting down anyway," Zell said as he lathered up and started to shave Squall. "I have to re-dress the wound, though it looks pretty good right now. The soft-tissue damage should be mostly healed by tonight."

Squall remained silent; Zell was still working on shaving him and while he was doing a creditable job from what he could tell, he didn't want to present too much of a challenge for him.

"Okay," Zell said, handing Squall a mirror and a small towel to finish wiping his face off. "That's done. Now for the fun part."

"I can't wait." Squall said sarcastically.

Zell snorted again, then turned his attention to Squall's shoulder. It wasn't nearly as bad as it had been earlier, so at least that had improved. It still hurt when he moved it though, enough for his head to swim and his vision to grey out. That, along with the dizziness and nausea, led him to agree with Zell that he had indeed broken his scapula. No way to tell for certain without an x-ray of course, but he'd broken bones before. They took _far_ too long to heal for his liking, even with the elixir that he'd taken.

The upshot of all this was Zell, finished with re-bandaging Squall's shoulder, checking his watch and sighing, then continuing his matter-of-fact ministrations by helping Squall get dressed.

"Good thing you finally got your hair cut before we went to the island. It's a little tough to manage a pony tail with one hand," Zell commented when Squall finally emerged from the bathroom after putting the final touches on his grooming.

Squall privately agreed. However difficult it had been to shower and dress using only his left hand, he fortunately did not look it..nor did he look as though he'd been chomped by a very large lizard. His arm still hurt like hell though, and he still had to field random bouts of nausea and fever, as the healing potion he'd taken just after his injury continued to work on counteracting the poison.

"Yeah, but there are other things that one hand can do just fine," Irvine quipped.

Squall glared at him, "speak for yourself, cowboy. _I'm_ getting married today."

"In which case, you can always ask your wife to give you a hand...job." Irvine said, unrepentant.

Zell shook his head, chuckling softly, then asked Squall, "got the rings?"

"Yes." he answered, handing the box to Zell for safekeeping.

"Right. Let's do this before lover boy here comes to his senses." Irvine said, jerking his thumb at Squall, who simply rolled his eyes.

As they headed out to the limo, Zell commented, "It would probably be more comfortable for you to have that arm in a sling."

"No, it wouldn't," Squall replied. Sling or not, he'd still be in pain. It didn't matter in the slightest. And unfortunately, he couldn't take any pain medication due to probable interaction with the healing elixir.

Zell shrugged and sighed. At least Squall didn't appear to be on the verge of collapse now.

* * *

Despite Squall's worries, they made it to the hotel in time...barely. Thanks to the healing elixir, Squall was _mostly_ functional. Mostly.

His shoulder throbbed, while the healing skin itched. His head ached abominably, and he still went from freezing and wanting to throw up to feeling as though he was on fire. He wanted nothing more than to go to bed and sleep for a week, and in fact, that was exactly where he should be. But he was _determined_ to be present. No way in _hell_ was he missing his wedding.

He had no idea how he'd endure the reception afterward, however.

Irvine and Zell exchanged a worried glance, with Zell edging closer to Squall in case his support was needed. Or in case he needed to catch him.

Squall noticed the look of course, and wondered if he actually looked as bad as he felt. He hoped not.

The priest stepped up to the altar and started making his preparations, while subtle whispers and rustlings from the audience signaled their anticipation of the big event. Gentle strains of orchestral music from a string quartet wafted over them and everyone quieted down.

Glancing over at him, the priest asked quietly, "you okay son?"

"Yeah. I'm fine," he lied. He closed his eyes briefly as a wave of dizziness hit him. He took a deep breath and things steadied. He wondered if he shouldn't have gone ahead and taken another dose of the healing potion. It was obvious that he was still feeling some effects from the tri-face's poison.

"Well, relax, young man. Remember why you're here. You'll get through this. " The priest said. Squall nodded.

Then the priest started saying stuff about marriage in preparation for getting the ceremony underway. Squall wasn't terribly religious, but Rinoa had wanted the priest, and he'd had no objections with engaging his services. It _did_ lend a certain solemnity to the occasion; not that Squall needed anything to impress upon him just how important a step this was.

He'd already committed himself to her in his heart. This was just a formality.

As rehearsed, the music cued the bridesmaids, and they proceeded down the aisle and took their places, lined up and pretty like flowers all in a row. Squall shivered slightly, feeling chilled, and wondered if he wasn't slightly delirious as well. The strange trend his thoughts had taken certainly argued for it.

Then the music changed to the piece that Rinoa had chosen for her bridal march, and everyone present not already standing, rose to their feet. Squall rivited his attention to the archway through which Rinoa would pass as she started down the aisle, heart pounding.

When she finally appeared, he thought his heart would stop.

He truly had no idea what to expect, aside from the fact that she would be wearing a dress and that it would be white. The reality was so much more than that. The vision that he could not tear his gaze away from was beyond transcendent. So much so, that he nearly forgot to breathe.

She shimmered. She glowed. She floated on air; light seemed to concentrate upon her and made her appear...celestial. Ethereal. Angelic. Yeah, that was it. _Angelic_. He could have sworn he saw wings. He blinked and swallowed, feeling both hot and cold simultaneously; yeah, he was delirious. The wings _had_ to be a hallucination.

Then she was there, standing across from him in front of the altar, smiling, eyes sparkling and fixed upon his. Her smile momentarily drove away his sickness and his pain, and he smiled back.

Then the priest said more things about marriage and the two of them in particular. He paid scant attention to it. He was too busy staring at what had to be the most beautiful bride in the world. Then the "I do's" were exchanged, and the rings were brought out.

There was a bit of awkwardness with the rings; Squall couldn't use his right arm at all, and he was right-handed. His left hand was clumsy by comparison, and he greatly feared he would drop the ring rather than get it onto Rinoa's finger. Rinoa frowned in concern as he reached for her ring with his left hand and carefully picked it up. A wash of heat bloomed over his face and he could feel sweat starting on his upper lip, as he concentrated upon getting the ring onto her finger. It helped that she had apparently sensed his difficulty and held her hand rock steady until the ring touched her finger tip, then obligingly stuck her finger into it, making it easier for Squall to push it on the rest of the way.

Then, there was a little bit for him to say: "By this ring, we are wed. For better, for worse, for now and forever. From this day forward, all that I am is yours." He breathed a mental sigh of relief at getting it out in a steady voice and not forgetting any of it.

Rinoa's smile widened, and tears glistened in her eyes as she took his ring and did the same, saying her part, "By this ring, we are wed. For better, for worse, for now and forever. From this day forward, all that I am is yours."

After she slid the ring onto his finger, he quickly took hold of her hand before she could withdraw it. The concern on her face as she took in his pallor faded at the strength in his grip and the love in his eyes.

"...you may kiss your bride..."

Squall pulled gently on Rinoa's hand to pull her in closer and settled his lips over hers, touching them lightly at first, then answering Rinoa's wordless response when she leaned into the kiss and opened her mouth slightly. His mind swam, and he was once again adrift, his only anchor the taste, the texture, and the warmth of her kiss. They separated after a long moment, and smiled into each other's eyes.

"I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Squall Leonhart!"

Applause erupted from the guests present as Squall and Rinoa turned and made their way back up the aisle. He would have liked to run hand in hand with her, and had in fact rehearsed that with her, but he didn't have it in him. Instead, he escorted her at a steady, dignified walk, earning a puzzled look from her at this deviation from what they'd practiced.

"Are you okay?" she whispered to him as they walked.

"Yes, I'm fine." he answered under his breath.

"Liar."

"That obvious is it?" he asked quietly.

"Yes. I thought it might be nerves, or something, but that didn't seem right. You look ill. What's going on?"

"I was...injured...on the island just before we had to leave to come here." Squall answered her.

"Injured?" She gasped, turning to face him. "Where?"

They hadn't quite left the "chapel" area yet, and her exclamation had drawn attention. Squall moved his grip from her hand to her elbow and increased his pace, ushering her up the aisle and through the archway and out of casual earshot of their wedding guests.

"The right shoulder, wasn't it?" Rinoa asked before he could say anything. "I wondered why you weren't using your right arm at all."

Squall nodded, and giving her an apologetic half-smile, sighed, "I was bitten, rather badly, by a tri-face. My scapula's probably broken and... I'm still a little sick from the venom, I think."

Rinoa paused, dragging him to a halt, and swiped her hand lightly across his brow, wiping away the cold sweat that had gathered there, then brushed the backs of her fingers down his cheek.

"You're fevered. You should be in bed, Squall." Rinoa said, concerned.

"I know, but I'll manage. I think Zell has some more healing elixir on him. I'll see if I can't take another dose of it." Squall said. Catching her worried expression, he attempted to reassure her, adding, "it'll be fine, Rinoa. _I'll_ be fine. I'll hurt for a little while but..."

"What about the next time? And the next after that? How safe is this island you plan for us to live on?" Rinoa asked.

"As safe as we could make it. This was a fluke. We hadn't had a tri-face attack in months. Today of all days, and a couple of the techs leaving for the day get attacked outside the barrier." Squall shook his head. "It's just rotten luck I got hurt. But don't worry, we'll be fine. We've got a handle on the monsters now, we wouldn't have finished the house on time otherwise."

"You're sure?" she asked.

"I'm sure." Squall confirmed, then he grimaced. "I would have liked to carry you across the threshold but...I'm afraid that won't be possible unless Zell _does_ have some more elixir on him. I think I saw him grab another bottle as we were leaving, so I'm pretty sure he does."

"Well then, we'd better hurry and get to the reception. If he's anywhere, he's there." Rinoa said.

They both turned and continued along the pathway through the hotel's garden courtyard and into the hotel itself.

* * *

As they walked toward the ballroom where the reception was being held, Rinoa studied Squall covertly, worried by how pale and ill he still looked. Her joy in being finally being married to him was tempered by her concern, and she kept a sharp eye out for Zell in the hopes that he did indeed have some more of the healing potion that Squall had said would help.

His strides appeared steady enough, so at least she didn't have to worry about him collapsing on her.

As they entered the ballroom, she saw all their guests already there. Most of them were her friends and family, but a surprising number were invited by Squall. Of course, most of them were either SeeDs or former co-workers from the resort in Esthar, something that Rinoa found highly amusing.

The people-watching aspect of this gathering promised to be fascinating.

Another surprising addition to the guest list was Squall's father. He'd been hesitant about including him, having only just met the man, but in the end had done so with Ellone's encouragement...or insistence. Rinoa was actually very happy for him, and had enjoyed watching their cautious overtures to each other during the wedding preparations.

They circulated among the guests, searching still for Zell but being waylaid and congratulated numerous times while doing so. If anyone noticed Squall's tendency to shy away from anyone touching him due to his injury, no one paid any heed to it. Apparently, that sort of behavior had been the norm for him, rather than the exception.

"Congratulations Squall!"

They both turned to see a statuesque redheaded woman bearing down on them, her lovely face wearing a huge smile. A _real_ one, not the socially acceptable fake smile that some of their guests were sporting. Rinoa couldn't help but smile back.

Squall acknowledged her greeting with a slight smile of his own and a nod, "Marti."

"I must confess, I was surprised to get your invite. Thank you, I wouldn't have missed it for anything! It was beautiful," Marti said, then turning her attention to Rinoa, added, "And _you_ are simply stunning. I am so happy for you both!"

"Thank you," Rinoa said taking her proffered hand and shaking it. "You're Squall's former boss then? From the resort?"

"That would be me," She grinned and winked. "Marti Ashford, stud wrangler."

Rinoa laughed, and Squall rolled his eyes at this.

"Eric's somewhere around here too." Marti said, flipping a hand at the gathered humanity. "He'll make his way over at some point to offer his congratulations as well, I'm sure. Meanwhile, I hear there's an open bar?"

"Over there," Squall said, pointing toward it.

"Bless you! There's a dirty martini with my name on it, just waiting for me." she said, then gave Rinoa a conspiratorial wink from sparkling green eyes. "That'll be just the thing to drown my sorrows at losing my most popular, if unusual, concierge."

Rinoa's eyebrows climbed to her hairline and she asked, "unusual? How so?"

"Oh," Marti shrugged. "He was very selective in his clients, and he wouldn't cultivate regulars like some of our other men. In fact, he adamantly refused to rebook. Very unusual for a concierge. And despite that he had more requests than he could handle. I think it's the eyes. Very compelling."

Rinoa glanced over at Squall and hid a smile at the bloom of red that stained his cheeks, which did nothing at all to offset the indeed compelling, icy aquamarine eyes that were currently glaring at Marti.

Squeezing Squall's hand in reassurance, Rinoa replied, "I remember him mentioning that. I think its that scar across his face. Makes him look sexy and dangerous."

The subject of this observation rolled his eyes, muttering, "I'll show _you_ sexy and dangerous."

"I'm counting on it," Rinoa replied archly, and was rewarded by a soft chuckle from him.

Marti, smiling warmly at them both, said, "You guys are adorable. I truly am happy for you, Squall. You deserve to be happy for a change. I'm glad you found each other. Good luck to you both!" She bade them farewell and went in search of her dirty martini.

Squall sighed with relief as Marti left, wondering how long he could endure the reception versus how long he _had_ to. His shoulder still throbbed, and the pulsing ache echoed in his head, while he still felt waves of heat and cold washing over him at random intervals. The nausea still stalked him as well, forcing him to avoid eating anything, and to cautiously drink only water. He wasn't getting _worse_ , but also wasn't improving as much or as quickly as he'd like.

Rinoa squeezed his hand to get his attention, and gave him a concerned look, "are you feeling okay? You still look a little ill."

"I _feel_ a little ill. I'm not sure how much longer we need to be here, but leaving _very_ soon sounds like a really good idea." he answered, grimacing slightly.

Rinoa looked around, frowning, "Well, hopefully we can find Zell soon. Ah! There he is!" Tugging at Squall's hand, she led him through the throngs of guests, intent upon her quarry. Hopefully, Zell did indeed have what Squall needed and it would help.

As they approached Zell, she saw Squall's father, Laguna, catch sight of them and head in their direction, grinning broadly. She smiled back, then focused on Zell.

"Zell!" She waved, catching his attention.

"What's up?" Zell asked when he reached them, then frowned when Rinoa wordlessly indicated Squall. "Never mind, I see. Things haven't improved much, have they?" He asked Squall, who shook his head.

"Well, fortunately I did bring that extra bottle of potion just in case, so..." Zell began, to be interrupted by Laguna, who had also reached them.

"Congratulations Squall!" Laguna said, enthusiastically clapping his hand on Squall's injured shoulder, then staring in shock as Squall gasped, went dead white...and dropped like a stone.

* * *

"Well, this has to be a first," an amused sounding voice said somewhere close by. "I don't think I've ever heard of a groom fainting _after_ the wedding."

He was lying with his head on something both firm and yielding, covered by smooth, slick fabric. It rustled crisply, and he caught a whiff of a familiar fragrance. Rinoa's perfume. His head was pillowed on her lap. He took a deep breath and licked his lips, tasting the remnants of the healing potion he'd apparently been given.

Opening his eyes, he gazed up into Rinoa's face, noting her concerned expression. Now that he was awake that concern faded, to be replaced with relief.

"Feel better?" Rinoa asked him.

Squall took a quick mental inventory and nodded, "Yeah."

Looking around, he found that they were in a private conference room in the hotel. Zell, who leaned against the door watching him closely, and Laguna, who wore a gradually lightening expression of tense anxiety, had apparently gotten him there when he'd passed out after Laguna's ill-timed congratulatory back-thump.

Sitting up, Squall stretched cautiously and grimaced at the twinge in his shoulder. Yeah, the broken bone hadn't _quite_ knitted yet. Not completely. He kneaded at his shoulder thoughtfully as he got to his feet. Hopefully, with the additional dose of healing potion, the injury would be fully healed by the next day.

"I am so, so sorry, Squall," Laguna said. "I had _no_ idea you'd been injured. I mean, you _did_ look a little pale but I figured it was just nerves. Heck, when I married your mother I alternated between wanting to puke my guts out, and these wicked-ass Charlie-horses in my legs.." his voice trembled slightly as it trailed off. Then he cleared his throat and finished lamely, "anyway, sorry."

Squall quirked a half-smile at him, "well, it's not like I was advertising that I'd gotten busted up. In fact, I felt really stupid for letting it happen."

"You _did_ kind of cause a sensation when you passed out," Zell said, smirking. "Should probably put in an appearance so people don't start making wild speculations."

"Tell them I died." Squall said with a smirk. "That'll keep them busy while Rinoa and I make our escape."

Zell shook his head, "Sorry man, no can do. You know as well as I do it ain't that easy. Gotta finish up with the reception stuff before you guys can bug out."

Rinoa's fingers threaded through his and she smiled at him, "you forget, you owe me a dance."

Squall gazed down at her, a smile spreading slowly across his face.

"Yeah, I do, don't I?" he said. She nodded, and he bent down to give her a lingering kiss.

"Ok, fine. Let's get this over with."

Zell opened the door and swept his hand in an exaggerated show of courtly respect, earning a snort from Squall as he passed through and back out into the reception hall. Zell fell into step beside him, and Laguna brought up the rear.

Irvine joined them with Ellone in tow as they entered the hall, commenting, "well, you look better. Good. Half the people here now think you got hammered before the wedding from nerves, and the other half think something nefarious happened to you."

"Did you really just say 'nefarious'?" Squall asked. "Where would anybody get that idea? The getting drunk and passing out thing is much more logical, if inaccurate." He wasn't sure how he felt about suddenly being perceived as an intemperate boor.

"You are okay, right? I mean, you look much better, but you gave me a good scare." Ellone said.

"Yeah, I'm fine now Sis. Sorry to worry you." Squall said apologetically. Then he frowned, "of course, now everyone thinks I'm a lush.."

"People get creative when they're left to speculate." Laguna interjected with a shrug, then he added, "don't worry about it, I'll sort it out."

He turned to leave, but paused when Squall asked him, "how do you plan to do that?"

"Part of my job is reporting facts. The other part is swaying opinion. And if I might be so bold, I'm pretty damn good at both." Laguna said, giving Squall a lopsided smile before he walked into the crowd.

"I really like him," Rinoa said softly.

Staring after him, Squall replied thoughtfully, "you know, I do too."

"I'm so glad you decided to talk to him." Ellone said smiling wistfully after him. "You have no idea how happy he was when you called. He never expected you to invite him to the wedding, you know. He worried that you'd think it was too soon."

"It seemed...right...for him to be here." Squall said, and Ellone smiled happily at him.

Squeezing his hand, Rinoa asked, "you feel up for some food now? That potion Zell gave you really looks like it did the trick."

"Yeah, I could eat. Let's go see if there's anything good left."

The momentary excitement created by Squall's collapse faded quickly when he reappeared looking none the worse for it. He followed Rinoa's lead, arm linked with hers, greeting and accepting congratulations from the wedding guests, most of whom he didn't know or knew only slightly.

They went through all the requisite silliness that one does at such an event as this; the cake, the garter (which Irvine caught with a wolfish grin), tossing the bouquet (which was caught by a rather nonplussed Quistis) and all the rest of it.

Then there was the dance. And that made all of the other foolishness worth enduring.

" _This_ part I like," Squall said as he led Rinoa out to the middle of the ballroom and took her into his arms.

She smiled up at him, "I thought you would."

Then the music started and he guided her gracefully through the steps of a stately waltz. And it was as if his world suddenly _shifted_. Everything was the same but yet...different. He wasn't dancing with a client, or his girlfriend or fiancée, but his _wife_.

His wife. It wasn't an abstract ideal anymore, but a flesh and blood fact. A fact that changed everything about how Squall perceived the world now. He was no longer alone; instead he was...complete. That missing piece he didn't know he needed in his life was now there in his arms, dancing with him.

He couldn't be happier.

When the song was over, he simply stood still and gazed into Rinoa's eyes, asking softly, "would you like to come home with me tonight, Mrs. Leonhart?"

"Yes, I would. Let's get out of here."

They said their farewells and escaped the throngs amid a chorus of well-wishes, giddy with champagne and excitement, eager to start their lives together.

~fin~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. I guess this is as good a place as any to call it done, what do you think? I suppose I could have dragged it out and detailed the honeymoon and so on, but quite honestly, this story had gone on long enough. Don't get me wrong, I DID enjoy writing it for the most part, but if I am to be perfectly honest, I really should have ended it when Squall met Rinoa in the coffee shop in Deling City. Then the rest of it could have been a sequel or a continuation from there, rather than this EXTREMELY long (though hopefully not TOO boring) story. Certainly, there were plenty of real-life things happening that at times derailed my writing, sometimes for months at a time, so I can understand if the story is somewhat uneven in spots. What I find amazing is that I stuck with this story and didn't give up on it, despite the fact that at times, I wanted to do just that. But I was determined to FINISH it. This ended up being one of those stories where, the initial idea just keeps getting bigger and bigger the further you get into it, and you just keep finding more and more things that you need to see, explore and experience through the eyes of your characters...in other words, the bloody thing ran away with me!
> 
> So here it is, nearly four years and God knows how many THOUSANDS of words later...complete. Of course, if you ask REALLY NICELY, I might do a sweetly fluffy epilogue...


	32. Epilogue

It was the middle of the night. The dogwatch, as his earlier self would have called it, and Squall stood on the balcony of his new home, breathing.

Just, breathing.

A breeze, cool and fresh, dampened with spray from the nearby waterfall and scented with the flowers and foliage of the surrounding forest, caressed his skin and ran invisible fingers through his hair. Squall closed his eyes, and let it wash over him.

All of it.

The night sang with a droning background of rushing water, while clicks, chirps and buzzes wove a melody and accompaniment under, over and through it. Night birds added their soft twitters and hoots, and hunting bats contributed with their virtually inaudible cries.

He sighed and leaned forward onto the railing, opening his eyes and gazing outward into the darkness. A clink sounded as the ring that now adorned his left hand made contact with the ironwork. It was an unaccustomed weight on his finger, mere hours old, but one that he grew more comfortable with by the moment. He tracked his gaze upward into the night sky. A brilliant riot of stars scattered about the black eternity above, and was echoed below by fireflies dancing and dodging above the pool below the waterfall.

Squall simply absorbed it all and let it permeate his being. The paradigm shift that had begun the moment he'd locked eyes with the beautiful brunette standing in his doorway, all those months ago in Esthar, was nearly complete. The last, worn out fragments of his old life, his old _self_ , cracking and falling away with each breath. What was emerging was, he hoped, a better version of himself.

His broken shoulder still ached, the healing incomplete as yet. It had awakened him and driven him from bed to the bathroom, and then to the balcony. Once there, he was loathe to leave, instead basking in the peace that he had finally found for himself.

Soft footsteps behind him made him smile. There was only one other person on the entire island.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

He glanced back over his shoulder and smiled again at the way her pale skin glowed in the starlight. She was beautiful, flawless in her nudity. His breath caught, and his heart started to race.

"Yes." he finally answered.

Encouraged by this, she came forward, pausing to gently caress his naked back before snuggling under his invitingly lifted arm. Pulling her close against his side, Squall dropped a soft kiss on her temple.

"So what are you doing out here then?" she asked him.

"My shoulder was aching a bit, and it woke me. Then I had to use the bathroom and...I decided to come out here for some air. It's lovely tonight." he explained.

Rinoa sighed happily, gazing at the fireflies. "It is. Like we're the only two people in the world."

Squall made a small sound of agreement, before observing, "well, we _are_ the only two people on the island at least."

"So, we could do anything we want, wherever we want," Rinoa said. "That brings up all sorts of interesting possibilities."

Squall laughed softly and turned her to face him.

"It does, doesn't it?" he asked, running his hands lightly up and down Rinoa's arms. His voice dropped to a husky rumble as he asked her, "What did you have in mind?"

"Pretty much the same thing we've been doing all night." she replied with a soft laugh, prompting him to chuckle as well and pull her flush against his body.

"Never gets old, does it?" he murmured, moving his hands around to her back and down, cupping her buttocks and pressing her closer. Gooseflesh sprang up on her skin where the cool night air touched it, but she was warmed by the heat of his body.

"No," she said softly gazing up at him. "It doesn't."

A slight smile played across his lips then, and starlight glittered in his eyes as he bent down and touched his lips softly to hers. Her eyes drifted shut and she leaned into him, holding him close and stroking her hands up his back. His hands roamed her body as well, raising her temperature with each touch. The heat between them burst into flame, threatening to burn them both. Once started, he couldn't seem to stop, and became lost in the taste of her kiss, the silk-velvet feel of her skin under his hands, the heat and scent of her desire.

Pulling back, he took a long breath, and whispered, "care to break in the chaise lounge?"

"Yes," Rinoa whispered back.

Stepping back, he took her hand, and she smiled at the undeniable evidence that he fully intended to continue their interlude to its natural conclusion.

"You truly _are_ impressive," she laughed softly.

"And _you_ are biased," was Squall's amused reply as he led her to the chaise.

"A bit, perhaps. But not too much, and I was referring more to your stamina than your dimensions, though I have no complaints about _that_ either."

Another soft laugh was his reply, then, "Good to know."

He brought both hands up to her face then, cradling it gently and caressing her cheeks before he kissed her softly, then sweetly, then deeply, with searing heat and need. Then he sat down on the edge of the chaise and pulled her over to him.

He held her hand to steady her, and she gracefully straddled him, sighing as she sank onto him and took him into herself. He dropped his hands to her hips and pulled her to him as he thrust upward. Her head fell back with a moan as she rolled her hips forward in response. They moved slowly, gently together, her fingers playing through his sleep tangled hair as he took first one, then the other of her nipples into his mouth, sucking and teasing.

Their lips fused as they continued moving together, losing themselves in each other as they blended into a whole new entity. It was no longer "he" and "she" but "we". And despite having made love together numerous times before, this time was different. They were making love as husband and wife now, and that added an entirely new dimension. It was... _more_. It was the cementing of a bond already established, and yet, new.

Passion swept them along and left them gasping as it drowned them at the last, and they came to themselves still wrapped in each other's arms, lost in each other's eyes.

"What do you see?" Rinoa whispered, wondering at his intense regard.

Starlight glittered in his eyes, leaching out their color and leaving unfathomable mystery behind. He remained silent for a moment, as though unable to put into words what it was that he saw, when he looked at her. Finally, he raised his hand and gently cupped the side of her face, answering, "everything."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And just to add a cherry on top (per the wishes of some who've cared to voice an opinion), here is the sweet, fluffy epilogue I hinted at. It was heavily influenced by Owl City's "Fireflies". It got stuck in my head for some reason and well...fireflies ended up in the story.
> 
> Thank you all for reading, commenting and hopefully, enjoying this story. There is more to come...


End file.
